Obsidian
by Sulfur Dusk
Summary: Yuugi had no idea what dangers she would unleash upon the world at the completion of her grandfather's puzzle. Fem!Yuugi. Puzzleshipping. COMPLETE.
1. Chapter One

**O B S I D I A N**

_~ Chapter One ~_

* * *

><p>Glistening silver wings adorned the body of a delicate, artistic bird. Fluffing its down feathers, it was perched on a typical rowan branch, its tilted head revealing its lack of intelligence though quickly replacing the value of its brain capacity with its bountiful appearance. Onlookers would have appreciated the glow of shimmering gray and the hidden white undertones. Its motions were quite graceful despite its inner complications, its jet-black beak stabbing through the wood in order to search for its chosen meal.<p>

Trees brimming with elegant emerald leaves tossed and turned under the pressure of the light winds, carried through gently and elusively through tales of murmured songs and prayers. It was often hinted in ancient stories that trees were able to talk to each other without their human observers knowing, though this was simply a myth, no matter how much it looked like two rowans were conversing, with their branches rubbing together and their trunks bearing similar markings.

Traced and curved into delicate circles, the picture was an example of a possible ancient calendar. Whatever language existed in the odd drawing, it was expressed through tiny pictures that resembled modern-day phenomena; the simple silver bird was a clear attraction, with its square-shaped head and its pointed beak. The pounding of a heavy basketball distracted the artist, causing an impressively wide gaze of deep violet to turn and observe the athletic activities.

She was very short for a girl, with a very thin figure with not much to accentuate. Dressed in a casual school uniform, with the indigo skirt barely reaching past her knees, she often wore leggings in order to apply warmth during the autumn season. However, it was a particularly sunny day, and a fresh start on noon.

Some individuals would have found her interesting to look at: she was slender and had an elegant yet shy proportion to her figure and the way she carried herself. Her skin was pale as ivory, though her cheeks would occasionally turn rosy with embarrassment whenever she was caught in an unsure situation. Her features were genuinely childish and soft, her lips small yet often puckered when she was upset or disappointed, and often chapped when she would forget how dry the weather could be. She had a button nose and possessed little athletic ability, which usually affected her confidence around others.

Possessing only one friend, she was only lavished with compliments directed toward her unusual, naturally spiky hair and her big purple eyes. The colors of her hair resembled a dark obsidian, tinges of violet intertwined into the mix with a set of messy blonde bangs hanging over her forehead and sometimes erratically sticking in random directions. She combed her hair well enough to at least make the strange style look normal in length, barely past her shoulders.

The previous classroom was locked on the inside, though the entryway as a perfect shortcut to the courts, where the jocks could play basketball and the girls could watch them with malevolent and sometimes over-appreciate eyes. Though it was never just the females that expressed their lust openly. Several of the women had complained to the current principal of sexual harassment and being openly humiliated by several of the male students. Some stories seemed exaggerated and were never met with complete acceptance or seriousness.

Absentmindedly reaching into her backpack, the girl pulled out a small golden box the size of two baby fists rammed together. It glistened with a polished hue, majestic patterns outlining the surface and engraved into interesting pictures of ancient times. A mysterious eye that resembled an old god shone in the middle of the box, attached firmly to a lid that held an interesting gift inside.

She promised herself she would continue working on the separate project once she was finished with her portrait. Ancient symbols and bird wings were always the hardest for her to draw.

Her sketch of the small bird was nearly completed; she only needed to shade the left wing. Pursing her lips together, she pressed her pencil harder to the paper, and blinked once the parchment was swiped from underneath her hands, clenched tightly in the fists of one of two arrogant bullies.

"So _this _is what the _mysterious _Yuugi Mutou does all day?" Yuugi's eyes narrowed, her fingers curling into her palms and clenching. The bully smirked, a tall and lanky individual with clear muscles hidden underneath his blue uniform. His collar was unfolded and messy, matching his tousled blonde hair. He had an impish smile on his face, shrugging his shoulders. "Heh. I would have expected voodoo or some creepy crap like that." He snickered. "But the symbols are enough. What the hell are these? Religious crap?" He gradually gripped both edges of the drawing and crumpled it into a ball, tossing it onto the ground and crushing it with his shoe. He grinned at the heavy frown on Yuugi's features, her expressive eyes emitting nothing but negative emotions.

Her grandfather's advice echoed in her ears: _ignore them_.

But she couldn't. She couldn't help feeling distressed.

"Eh, Jounouchi. She's not going to answer you. I bet she was just doing some ritual. You know, maybe." A tall brunette of similar stature snickered toward the girl. Yuugi crossed her arms, struggling to turn her attention elsewhere. Her eyes widened once she realized the golden box was exposed, its sheen surface glinting underneath the blare of the sun. "Oi, what's this?" The bully smirked and grabbed the box before Yuugi could react.

"Stop! That's mine!" She frowned in dismay as the two brutes passed the box back and forth to each other, watching in satisfaction as her face turned beet-red with frustration and concern. "My grandfather gave that to me! It's not your property and it's ancient!"

"Weird magic, huh, Honda?" Jounouchi growled and smirked once the container was close to spilling its hidden contents. "I bet you hide drugs in here. Cigarettes? Cigars? Or maybe something gross. You're not normal enough to have girl shit." He chuckled and pried open the lid, blinking at an assortment of strange puzzle pieces of many different shapes and sizes. They all glistened with the shade of a perfect gold, as if they were hand-washed vigorously through each strange maze-like crevice. "What the hell is this?" A look of sheer disgust overtook his features and he snapped the lid shut. "No wonder the entire population of this school picks on you, you winy idiot Mutou! You keep playing kids' games then you're done for!"

"What is it?" Honda demanded, swiping the box. "A puzzle…?"

Yuugi's fists clenched. "Please, just be careful with it!" She was restraining herself from demanding anymore than what was needed. She was never a subject of luck when it came to school rules. Most of the time she would be the primary target of bullying (the bruises marring her arms and sometimes face was enough to prove it) and she was never the one to come out as the victor.

"It just looks like a kid's game—"

"Jounouchi! Honda!" A tall, scowling woman suddenly appeared beside Yuugi's desk. The exact opposite of Yuugi, she was considered to be one of the most beautiful girls on school grounds, with a charming and strong figure yet a reasonably proportioned pair of legs and bosom. Her dark brown hair was cropped short, just above her shoulders, her skin pale yet at least one shade darker than Yuugi's, with calm and attractive blue eyes that would set any man in stone.

Yuugi greatly admired her, and she was lucky to at least have Anzu Mazaki as her only friend.

"Do you idiots really have nothing better to do than harass a poor girl?" Anzu cocked an eyebrow, her hands resting firmly on her hips. "If I were you I would scram before the principal knows about this." The bullies slightly blushed in embarrassment, though she swiped the box from Honda's hands before they could react. Growling, she snapped.

"Hey, quit bossing us around Mazaki! You're not our mother—"

"Don't even test my patience and _get out of here_!"

They dashed off in a trail of smoke.

Yuugi smiled sheepishly. "Thanks." She paused. "But… it really wasn't that big of a deal, Anzu. I'm sure they were going to give it back." She would have been more upset if they dropped her precious gift. It was a valuable treasure piece to her, and she would never let it get into the hands of such reckless people on purpose. Her grandfather would be ashamed.

Sitting back down, Anzu handed her the box with her eyes curiously glued to the ancient object.

"No problem. Those guys are just too cowardly to really do anything drastic. And before you argue with me, yes, they deserved every second of it. They were bullying you." Anzu snorted. "They can't help but pick on girls." She rolled her eyes and smirked in a friendly manner, reaching over and ruffling Yuugi's hair. "Anyway, what is in the box that makes it so special? It looks like something you'd by from an antique store."

Yuugi nodded, brushing down her sleeves and cracking open the lid. She sighed in relief once she noticed that likely all of the pieces still remained. Her brow furrowed as her gaze collected the image of only a small part of the puzzle being finished.

"My grandfather gave this to me years ago. From an exhibition he took into Egypt." She smiled slightly at the memories of her only living relative presenting the present to her on her birthday. "He says it will grant wishes…" Her eyelids lowered in thought. "Any wish, as long as you solve it." She sighed. "On the side is a riddle… but I've never been able to figure it out."

Anzu blinked. "What does it say?"

"'Can be seen, but you haven't seen it'." Yuugi frowned. Anzu shrugged.

"It doesn't look like any other normal puzzle," the woman inquired. She placed her elbows on the desk, propping her chin up with folded hands. "Is it hard? Solving it, I mean."

"Very. But I'm not going to stop," Yuugi murmured, eyes shining in determination. Others would have called it childish, and people like Anzu considered it a rare and beautiful trait in a woman. Determination was a wonderful aspect and was one of the few courageous emotions that made Yuugi who she was. "I promised Grandpa that I will finish this and I also promised myself. It's a good challenge."

"Is that why you hole up in the library during lunch? To try and finish that?" Anzu smirked. "Wow. And none of the pieces really look the same."

"Like you said: it's no normal puzzle." Yuugi smiled and Anzu flashed her another quirky grin. "I consider it something special. I've been trying to solve it for eight years and I'm pretty tired of just attempting. Only just recently have I been able to actually figure some patterns out. But each way is different." Yuugi paused, her nose wrinkling in interest.

_I want to ask for a wish; for other friends. People like Anzu that would never leave my side. Not like… not like how Father and Mother abandoned me. _

The memory prodded her brain with a sharp needle.

She shook her head,looking at Anzu briefly before turning to the box's prize once more. _This is my treasure. Grandpa wants me to solve it. He's told me to never give up, no matter how old I become. _

Yuugi put on a brief smile. "Thanks again, Anzu, for driving them off."

She berated herself for being so cowardly at times.

Yuugi let her slender fingers grasp the puzzle pieces and already tried piecing them together, though she sensed an odd electric sensation whenever her fingers brushed the contact point between two fragments; as if whenever two correct pieces joined, they released stimuli that would let her know she was doing well.

Maybe it was a strange quirk that her grandfather never mentioned? Sugoroku was known to make up strange stories and often hide important details, even with his beloved granddaughter, who wanted to solve and piece together anything possible.

She winced and dropped two pieces, their contact immediately releasing a friction between her used fingers. She frowned at this, rubbing her fingertips and observing the puzzle with narrowed eyes.

_Wrong pieces to put together, I guess._

"What's up?" Anzu questioned, her head tilted.

"Nothing." Yuugi's gaze softened. Whatever secrets the Millennium Puzzle kept, the artifact was keen on her never discovering it.

* * *

><p>"Stupid Anzu…" Jounouchi snarled under his breath, his nose held high as he and Honda walked through the back of the school hallways with little on their minds. They were always frustrated when Anzu was a part of the picture, and they never liked dealing with her obnoxiously loud voice. "Man, she's such a bitch."<p>

Honda groaned. "Agreed, man." He snorted. "I hate that when girls beat up a guy, they don't get in trouble by the authorities. But when you or me threaten a girl, it's the end of the friggin' world." He cursed under his breath, wiping saliva from his chin after rambling. "I just wanna shove her stupid face into a grinder or something."

"Pft, and that stupid twerp. Mutou whatever."

"Yeah. She's just… weird. I mean, come on! Everyone picks on her because she's an outcast and she does really weird shit!" Jounouchi's brow wrinkled in pondering. "Hmph. But she'll learn her lesson." A dark smirk overtook his lips, his fingers searching through his coat pocket as he pulled out a familiar and prominent golden item.

Honda blinked. "What is that?"

"A piece from that nimrod's puzzle. What else would it be, idiot?" The blonde rolled his eyes, grasping the piece firmly in his hands. The prominent mystical eye that was engraved in the front was already beginning to make him uneasy… he especially found it strange that whenever his fingertips grazed it for too long, or rubbed the surface, a strange heat would bound back and sting him.

Though he dismissed it as imagination.

Honda snickered. "No way! I can't believe you took it. But… are you sure that's a good idea? It's possible that we could be discovered for, you know… being bullies."

"We're not bullying," Jounouchi chuckled. "We're _helping_ the brat." He snickered, gazing out over the local swimming pool in the more open section fo the school. Glancing down, he could see that not a single swimmer occupied the body of lone water. Clenching the puzzle fragment tightly in his hands, he chucked the item into the water, watching in satisfaction as the missing piece to Yuugi's treasure sank to the bottom.

"Eh. Hopefully you won't regret that," Honda whispered.

"I won't. It'll be good. Can't wait to see the look on her face when she finds out!" Jounouchi shrugged, crossing his arms. "Eh, whatever. I don't care."

Honda was about to reply when two gigantic, fleshy white hands collapsed on the two men's shoulders, gradually keeping them in place. Honda and Jounouchi rapidly paled, a booming voice cruising over their heads and snarling into their minds.

"What is this I hear about _bullying_? Katsuya? Hiroto?" Honda did not dare to glimpse over his shoulder toward an impossibly massive and beefy student with an orange band strapped around his muscular arm. His face appeared contorted in several different directions, his skin a sickly glue color, beady eyes transfixed with absolute doom toward the literal definition of a bully. "Bullying, you know, is punishable by strict rules of Domino High… let this be a warning to you two mongrels."

"We were only teaching a lesson to that Mutou twerp—" Honda slapped a hand over Jounouchi's mouth, chuckling abrasively and subconsciously walking in the other direction.

"We understand Ushio!"

The tall man snorted, though a tiny smirk curled on his lips. "Good."

* * *

><p>The Domino Game Shop was a popular store only three miles from the local school district. The sky was warm blue, tender clouds drifting across the surface and, at times, intertwining like separate serpents. Smelting cars drove past at rapid speeds, whipping up smoke, debris and chunks of asphalt. Yuugi often had to close her mouth in order to not inhale from the filth.<p>

The Game Shop happened to be owned by her grandfather, and was where she lived.

It was unusual for her to return home with very little bruises to mar her skin; she felt like a balloon at times, popped on occasion and deflated on another. Hours of education was very little to block out the heinous bullying that filtered through Domino High School's reputation board. They slugged their massive fists, formed brawls in the middle of the hallways, and trashed classrooms.

Thugs were a constant threat to a safe walk home.

Groaning, she resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She needed to be stronger like Anzu and take after her as a role model. She could be angry when she wanted to be, but she could easily think of the consequences of approaching one jock and demanding for him to stop filling her locker with shaving cream.

She never really knew why they bullied her so frequently. Her hair? Maybe? Her height? She was not nearly as attractive as other girls, and had no realization of how glossy and clean her massive eyes looked. They shone like two purple gemstones, framed by thick and exceptionally long lashes.

Though Yuugi only saw an average teenager. Not ugly. But not special. And she was perfectly fine with that image.

"Hey, you!" Yuugi blinked at the voice, increasing her pace. "Where do you think you're going? Little voodoo freak? I just wanna ask some questions." A rough, muscular hand snatched her wrist, twisting it roughly behind her back. Growling, Yuugi sunk her teeth into his wrist, trying to ignore the hammering of her heart and how anxious she was. The man howled and slapped her, pushing her away. "Gods! You really are a brat!" He was tall and lean, though not nearly as muscular as most of the male students.

Yuugi glared. "What's your problem? I don't even know you."

The man snorted. "What's _your _problem?" He scowled and scrunched up his nose. "Ushio sent me."

Yuugi blinked owlishly. "Ushio? Who's that?" The name did sound familiar, but at the moment she did not personally know really _any _of the students that attended Domino. Even Anzu had a personal life that she only somewhat knew, due to being childhood friends. But even that was a gift of luck.

"You know, Ushio? The Hall Monitor?" The man groaned and rolled his eyes once Yuugi gave him a blank look. "Whatever. The details aren't important. I'm just his assistant and messenger, so… here." He flipped out a rectangular card imprinted with Ushio's name and phone number. "Call him. He's a head of an important business at that school, and he thinks he can help you."

"… Excuse me? Help me?" Was this a stalker or something? Yuugi's stomach flipped at the thought. It was one of the many things she certainly _did not _need.

"Just call him. See ya, spiky-haired chick." The strange, strange man disappeared down the sidewalk, his knees rising to chest as he dashed away from her as fast as he possibly could. Yuugi slightly chuckled at the scene, examining the card and turning it around for further inspection.

_Important business? At Domino? _She sighed, tucking the card away in her shirt pocket.

The sun's heat intensified, and she was thankful once she caught sight of the Domino Game Shop flashing its neon sign toward her. Wiping her hands off her skirt, she twisted the doorknob and entered the brightly colored place, a smile of greeting gracing her lips at noticing how unusually clean the floors were.

"Grandpa? I'm back." She blinked as she saw her small grandfather huddle down the crooked stairs, appearing distracted with something. She tilted her head to the side. "What's up? You don't look… too excited to see me."

Sugoroku blinked and adjusted his glasses. "Oh! Yuugi, it's good you're back. But you're a little later than usual. I would have expected you to come home on the dot like you usually do." He scrunched his aging eyes toward the nearest clock, scratching his head. "I mean, really…" His entire face then bloomed with excitement. "Oh, Yuugi! Did you complete the puzzle?"

"Not yet," Yuugi murmured. _But I will. Soon. _

* * *

><p>She dropped pieces whenever they caused the strange burning friction, sending jolts of pain through her fingers.<p>

_Dammit. _

The artifact's pieces looked more crumbled and clumped together than before, with some of them quite easily slipping into each other's formation. Yet even the simplest patterns only frustrated Yuugi more.

_There has to be an easier way… _She crossed her arms under her chest, her eyes softening as she thought of the consequences of never completing the puzzle. _No… I can't think like that. I need to keep knowing that I can do it. Not thinking. Knowing. Expecting. _It was her best weapon at the moment.

She blinked, her spine tingling once another clump connected: two large pieces with distinctively crooked crevices. She stopped moving, her fingers shakily grasping the new assortment as strange shivers of… something mystical, began to circulate through touch.

It was an incredibly weak link, though she felt it. There was most definitely something secretive about the puzzle and the way it was sending odd sensations through her mind.

Was it… cursed? Charmed? She groaned and rolled her eyes. Only her grandfather thought of such superstitions, though each time the waves grew more curious and rippled further, as if asking for answers and emitting questions with each second that passed. Whatever was inside of the puzzle, it desired knowledge.

It wanted to find answers. The puzzle was, in some ways, distressed.

Yuugi frowned._ But I can't feel any specific emotions. The waves just grow stronger. _She frowned and placed the clump on her desk, sighing in relief once the connection was lost.

Blinking at a certain memory, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the engraved card, tracing over the embossed letters in thought. Sighing, she read the phone number of the mysterious stranger named Ushio, and reached for her phone.

* * *

><p><em>8:42 PM.<em>

Jounouchi winced, Ushio's massive boot colliding with his chin and sending him sprawling against the brick walls of the alleyway. His clothes roughly torn, his features cut and his nose clearly broken, the blonde was struggling to stay awake and embrace consciousness with open arms. He was already beaten into the ground from the massive student, whose twisted smile only revealed sick pleasure at performing so-called _justice_.

Honda gasped, collapsing to his knees from the blow crashed against his stomach, losing his breath. He shook on the ground once the pointed boot was sent scouring into his ribs and bruising his skin, opening new wounds.

"Hah! Justice is always served to bullies! Always!" Ushio chanted, laughing maniacally. He glanced behind him toward the terrified girl that managed to call him about something drastically personal, yet he refused to take her orders correctly. "See this, little Mutou? Everything you wanted. Your offenders have been punished, and now for your bodyguard fee." He snickered, examining his knuckles. "I say about… hmm… two hundred thousand yen would do."

Yuugi's eyes were wide and horrified, her features dumbstruck. Her entire body shook at the sight of the two former bullies, now completely helpless before the reckless nature of a wrecking ball like Ushio. Yuugi, shivering under the pressure of the cold winds and growing rainfall, rushed in front of the Hall Monitor, spreading her arms wide in front of Honda and Jounouchi.

She felt guilty. And ashamed.

"This isn't what you told me you would do!" She shook her head. "If you hurt them, you hurt me. I will take the blow instead!" Jounouchi glanced up at her with bruised eyes, his stomach hollowing with nervousness and surprise at seeing the timid school target standing in front of him, begging for he and Honda to be spared.

"Hmph. I don't hit girls." Ushio smirked.

But it was a lie.

He slugged Yuugi across the face, the girl collapsing immediately from the impact. He pulled at her hair, stepping on whatever area seemed necessary for his words to sink in. Laughing, Ushio did not notice the looks of growing warmth and secretive appreciation in Jounouchi's eyes.

"And I'm not the bully here, Mutou. I'll stop punishing them, sure. As long as you pay me." His lips grew into a detesting, angry frown. "You owe me that money, you little brat."

Yuugi's heart fluttered, though she dared not move. Her shoulders and face ached terribly, bruises already forming on her sensitive skin.

"Two hundred thousand yen. You understand me? Bring the money tomorrow, you bitch, and all will be settled." Ushio released a grim, solid chuckle. He was not being the bully in his eyes. He was being the successor, the one to quell Domino High School of any terrible influences. This girl happened to be a likely target for bullying, and he was right. The moment she called him, despite her protests, he knew the two individuals that had damaged her ego.

And now they were paying for it. Simple as that.

"I… I will have the money," she whispered, gulping. "I… I will." She did not bother to glance over toward Jounouchi and Honda, as the two were already standing and observing their own wounds.

Ushio snickered. "Hmph. Good choice, Mutou." He cast his beetle-like gaze toward the two former bullies, his grin malicious and clouded with misjudgment. "Man, I'm making a huge load of money off of you fools." He chuckled and turned away, his hands in his pockets while stalking out of the alleyway. "It'd be smart to call me again, Mutou… in case you _don't _have the money I need."

Absolute terror flooded through Yuugi's body, her muscles screaming in pain as she struggled to maintain ordinary balance.

_Gods…_

* * *

><p>She was scared.<p>

Livid, terrified, incredibly frightened. Each word wound a tight rope in Yuugi's heart and mind. Her body was caked with sweat and rain, her hair damaged and soaked to her clothes like a wet mop, and her tears brimming with the intensity of her sadness and how much she needed Ushio's money. She should have never called him. She should have never considered becoming a part of something so cruel and unprofessional.

_Come on, come on! _She bit her lip, sinking her teeth into her tongue as well to prevent her from crying.

Oh, how she _despised _crying!

Yet her mind was endlessly wandering with questions and personal fear, she wanted nothing more than to complete her blasted Millennium Puzzle.

The process was coming closer, the pieces slowly melding together and shivers of positive stimuli pouring through her fingers, begging her to continue her work. Excitement began to pulse through her bloodstream, her heart pumping wildly in happiness as she assembled the ancient artifact together so swiftly and carefully.

It was finally completed. Her tears were beginning to subside, and she reached into the box beside her.

Her eyes widened, her fingers grasping at empty space. Horror pillowed her stomach, plunging her hopes to the bottom of an imaginary abyss like a heavy anvil. She was so determined to place the largest, most complicated piece in the middle of the Millennium Puzzle…

And it was missing.

She harshly bit her lip, her fingers creasing onto the puzzle, staring at it, as if demanding for answers on how she could have possibly misplaced it. She failed to notice her door swinging open, her loving grandfather standing with a soft expression on his normally distracted features. His hand was closed tightly around something small.

"Yuugi? I have something for you."

Yuugi blinked, frantically wiping her tears away and sniffled. "W-What is it, Grandpa?" She groaned. "I'm just… really tired. And upset."

Sugoroku nodded, tenderly taking her small hand and slipping a familiar object into her palm. Absolute glee enlivened Yuugi's eyes, and she tackled her grandfather in a powerful hug. Her strength was constantly surprising him since she was so small and thin.

She nearly choked on her sobs. "Thank you so much Grandpa!" She examined the glorious Eye of Ra, its intricate engravings perfect and ready to be applied to a project that lasted eight years. "Where did you find it?" she questioned, her beautiful eyes beaming.

Sugoroku chuckled at her excitement. "A young man with blonde hair came to my doorstep. He found it for you." He shrugged. "You are lucky."

Yuugi blinked. "… A blonde man?"

_Jounouchi? _She slightly smiled, yet nodded as her grandfather left her daughter to her success.

Inhaling shakily, she pressed the practical heart of the puzzle in its rightful place, the subtle feeling of intense positive energy flooding through her arms. She let go of the puzzle, blinking at the combined reaction of all of the pieces joint together.

She sighed, holding the puzzle in her hands, examining it closely and admiring its ancient beauty.

_I want to use your wish, Millennium Puzzle. _She breathed, her eyes closing. _I want friends. Friends that understand me and will not leave my side. _

The puzzle seemed to vibrate for several seconds, yet nothing else occurred. Yuugi brushed extra tears from her eyes, stroking the surface of her treasure with satisfaction gleaming in her proud, happy orbs. She had forgotten completely about Ushio, and only wanted to pay attention to the success in her hands.

Pulses of heat started flooding through her, mixed with an essence of comfort. She blinked at the sensation, tucking a blonde bang behind her ear.

_**You have done well.**_

Yuugi's eyes bolted open. _Are you… are you the puzzle? _

The voice returned, though unlike before it was far stronger and held a masculine edge to it. _**For too long I have been trapped in this miserable prison. I never expected to find solace in the hands of a young girl. **_

Yuugi frowned. "I… I'm afraid I don't understand. How can I hear you?"

_**You completed the puzzle. You created a link between us. In a matter of time I will become strong enough to show myself to you. But that time is not now. These sensations I give you, ones of encouragement and discipline, were the only elements that I could bestow in my weak form.**_

She was instantly reminded of the frictions of heat and comfort that occurred whenever she pieced together two wrong or right puzzle pieces.

_I wasn't expecting this. You're not going to harm me, then? _

She blinked as the puzzle sent messages of confusion through their link, and she immediately felt guilty. She should have been scared that she was talking to an ancient artifact. So why wasn't she instinctively chucking this golden pyramid out of the nearest window?

_**I am not the actual puzzle itself. I'm inside of it. **_

A blazing pair of intelligent, broiling crimson eyes, as red as human blood, suddenly flashed in her mind. They were narrowed and fierce, like spheres of liquid fire. Hidden within the grasp of the powerful outer irises, was another band of dark color that rivaled even the darkest black. It was of an even darker shade, beautifully rimming a solid white pupil.

It was darker than black, sharp as glass. Obsidian.

_Then… what do I do now? What am I supposed to do with you?_

She heard an amused chuckle.

_**We will see. **_

* * *

><p><strong>Review? Especially if you want a quick continuation? :)<strong>


	2. Chapter Two

**O B S I D I A N**

_~ Chapter Two ~_

* * *

><p>Warm blackberry tea left a gentle trail through Yuugi's throat. Her chest throbbing at the tender flavor, she set her beverage at the corner of her desk while simultaneously scribbling down notes for her current class. Mathematics was never her specialty, but it was good for her to challenge herself when needed be. Her teeth sinking into her bottom lip, she was more anxious in this particular morning than any other day of the week.<p>

The previous night still rung through her tired head like an endless gong. The strange voice had beckoned her, polishing her thoughts and granting her waves of comfort whenever she needed it. As soon as she woke up to leave for school, she finished looping a rope through the Millennium Puzzle's hole, draping it around her neck. It wasn't heavy, but the mysteries contained behind it created more force than any stone or block. Already the gift from her grandfather was making her life more stressful.

Jounouchi and Honda's bruised, bleeding faces suddenly flashed through Yuugi's mind. Ushio was an egotistical brute, constantly bashing the skulls of any person that even roughly showed signs of _bullying_. It was so ironic to Yuugi; Ushio was the most abusive and manipulative person that she had ever met.

Rings of tiredness still stung her large eyes. She was exhausted, and worse, had no money to give to Ushio.

Threads of comfort swam through her link with the puzzle, and she blinked before smiling discreetly in gratitude toward her unusual guardian. Part of her imagined the image in her mind to be a spell of sorts, an object of a trinket. She would have liked to believe that the mesmerizing, cold and dark eyes that plagued her recent daydreams and thoughts was a figment of her imagination. It burned her to not know what the sensations came from.

The echoing voice told her she granted it… or him, solace.

_Solace from what? My mind's playing tricks on me again… Come on, Yuugi. You need to focus. Think about things other than your puzzle, or Ushio, or—_

"Yuugi!" Yuugi's pencil nearly snapped from her surprise, whipping around to stare straight into a pair of excited blue orbs on Anzu's unusually quite happy face. The brunette was dressed for outdoor sports, her mischievous grin hiding something behind it and causing Yuugi to blink. "Class is over. You need to stop dozing off."

"Oh," Yuugi murmured. "I was just thinking about some things."

"What kinds of things?" Anzu questioned, a frown gracing her lips. "You've been really quiet for the last couple days. Is everything okay at your house? Nothing weird going on—"

"I promise that I'm okay, Anzu." The purple-eyed teenager shrugged her shoulders, packing her supplies and slightly grimacing once the puzzle turned cold against the fabric of her uniform. She frowned at the uncomfortable feeling, switching her attention subconsciously between her good friend and the artifact.

Anzu's eyes sparkled at the sight of Yuugi's treasure. "Wow! You should have told me you finished your puzzle. I bet your grandpa's stoked."

"He's happy for me, yeah," Yuugi replied, not really paying attention to her friend. The last thing she wanted to do was wait too long in an empty classroom. Ushio could be inspecting each room, searching for his culprit. Without the money stuffing her pockets, Yuugi knew she was still in danger and could get into serious trouble with the aggressive Hall Monitor.

She needed Anzu to look the other way. She would never want her closest and only real friend to worry so much about her.

"So… did you make a wish?"

"Huh?"

"I said, 'did you make a wish?' You told me you could make a wish once you completed the puzzle. Have you made one yet?" Anzu was like a child sometimes; always questioning and wanting perfect answers. Yuugi, however, didn't blame her for her curiosity. If a haunting voice wasn't plaguing her puzzle and sending her emotional messages through her gift, she would gladly tell Anzu every detail.

Yuugi slipped on the straps of her backpack before walking outside the classroom with Anzu, wading like a lost penguin through a sea of much taller students. Strangely, she could not see Jounouchi or Honda acting like buffoons around the corners, or any of the other bullies hiding from Ushio's potential presence. Thinking of the terrible man sent shivers up Yuugi's spine.

Anzu placed a hand on Yuugi's shoulder. "Yuugi, something's wrong. And you're not telling me a thing."

The puzzle, once again, turned cold as ice. Flinching, Yuugi glanced over her shoulder at Anzu and only smiled.

"I'm just tired, Anzu, I swear. This week has been busy. With that paper I have to turn in tomorrow, and that new Language class that I'm taking… a lot's on my plate. And Grandpa's even more occupied at the shop—"

Anzu shook her head. "Whatever. If you don't want to say anything now, you can tell me later. Just remember that I'm always here to help you, Yuugi." She crossed her arms under her chest, her gaze wandering off while walking alongside her much shorter friend.

Yuugi shivered once more, trying to ignore the intense and negative feelings radiating from her puzzle at the closeness of Anzu. It seemed… angry, hateful. Like something inside it was ready to explode and separate everything else around Yuugi. The very thought only made her more anxious, and she quickened her pace through the hallways without turning back to Anzu.

_Relax. _She told herself to breathe.

In. Out. In. Out. _In_. _Out_.

The puzzle sent warmth through her system, trying to calm her. Surprised yet pleased at the new sensation, Yuugi smiled and held the object with her other hand, rubbing the eye-shaped fragment in the middle. Instant emotions of appreciation flooded through her fingertips, and she genuinely smiled.

Already her mood was turning brighter. If only…

_Where can I get Ushio's money? If I don't have enough in time, all three of us are going to suffer. Jounouchi, Honda… they're the victims here. I need to help them._

The puzzle suddenly burned. Yuugi ripped her hands away, blinking.

_This puzzle has too many secrets. I can't focus on it right now. I need to avoid Ushio at all costs until I can get all of the money I need. Maybe Anzu can help me?_

She didn't realize how high the stakes were until she thought of it. Anzu was protective and a practical mother hen, and would never let Yuugi go near a thug like Ushio or even attempt to help local bullies Honda and Jounouchi. Jounouchi helped her complete her puzzle, drenched in water, as her grandfather described, and seemed wordless and somehow thankful. She would never forget that, but even with that memory etched into her mind, Anzu would not let her take another step further.

She was a very close and dear friend, but her role could be multiplied just by her protectiveness over Yuugi. Yuugi knew that, because Anzu was so smart, she would figure out why Yuugi was being so secretive in due time.

_She always does. _

"Hey, Yuugi." The familiar tone grabbed Yuugi's attention, as she blinked, glancing to her left to see Jounouchi casually leaning against the lockers. Honda was nowhere to be seen, but the signs of Ushio's beating were present on Jounouchi's features. His jaw was still bruised, bandages covering the light cuts over his cheeks, and his left eye was swollen shut and black.

Yuugi frowned, tilting her head to the side. "Hi, Jounouchi… did you need something?" It felt awkward talking to someone that messed with her only days ago. But even a few hours could change a person, and Yuugi knew that. Her grandfather would not stop rambling about different religious stories from other cultures, with the biggest theme in every single one often turning out to be a bond of sorts. Friendship, romance, anything.

Jounouchi shrugged, the blonde suddenly grinning. Yuugi frowned even further at seeing one of his teeth was missing. "Just wanted to talk. I've got a fun little riddle for you."

Yuugi smiled. Maybe this was a good thing. "What kind of riddle? What is it?"

"Well, you see, I've got my own little treasure." Jounouchi looked around him, his open eye shifting as he leaned in to whisper in Yuugi's ear. "It's a treasure that's _there_, but it's invisible. Try to figure it out."

Yuugi frowned, perplexed. "I don't understand…"

Jounouchi rolled his good eye and laughed, a light blush staining his features from being so persistent at his creativity. "Goddamn, Yuugi, it's _friendship_! Don't make me say it any louder." He smirked coyly, quickly ruffling her hair before dashing off through the hallway, this time _without _being scolded by Anzu.

Yuugi was dumbstruck, but was awake enough to notice Jounouchi's shoe flying straight off of his foot. Scuffling, she swiped the clothing item from the floor and chased him, ignoring the guffaws that followed.

"Jounouchi! You forgot your shoe!"

* * *

><p>The cafeteria was occupied with the social cliques and the usual beautiful people that populated Domino High School. The smells were thick and held doses of old leftovers that the lunch lady would never admit to existing in the first place. With her gigantic stainless steel spoon, she scooped old charred meat from a bucket and dumped the contents on plastic trays. She seemed satisfied with it, and it was even better for her when no one charged her for food poisoning.<p>

Ushio snickered cruelly, crushing the butt of his cigarette and tossing it in the nearest bin. He glanced around him, his eyes scanning the crowd of uniformed students with mild interest. Numerous people had assisted him before, paid him for his _righteous services_, and even granted him hefty bonuses whenever he completed a job properly. He had never had issues with a single client.

A snarl escaped his throat the thought of the geeky Mutou girl. She seemed more… fragile, than most of the girls, including her gorgeous best friend Anzu Mazaki. He had leered toward the Mazaki athlete on his spare time, and was always surprised to see the beautiful and intelligent woman spending time with a little dweeb like Yuugi Mutou.

The only attractive thing about Mutou was her eyes. They were huge, conveying overlapping emotions and always exhibiting a unique purple color. But Ushio was not the sappy poet type, the one to fall for something like eyes. He liked the flamboyant ones, whose bodies were usually only seen on the cover of Playboy magazines.

"Eh, Ushio, whatcha thinkin' about?" One of his goons asked, chewing on a lollipop. Ushio grunted in response, a low chuckle emitting from his throat as a thin plume of smoke blew past his lips.

"Just thinking. Thinkin' of business." He laughed darkly. "My little arrangement with the Mutou girl."

The other men laughed in response to this, some of them barrel-chested while others were lean and far less intimidating. A sickly-looking fellow with messy bluish hair and brown eyes pushed up his glasses. "What about 'er? She's just a loser, Ushio. I thought you targeted the ones with money."

"I usually do. This girl was too funny to pass up. Weird situation with two local bullies; Katsuya and Hiroto." He paused, dabbling in his cheap box of cigarettes. "They're jelly-spines. Useless bimbos that like to push around even smaller people than themselves. They put common idiots like _you lot _to shame." He chuckled once the men exchanged uneasy looks, yet smiled in order to not displease Ushio. "Heh. But once I squeeze the money out of that Mutou brat, I will have what I want. Then I can just relax and let everything pass by like nothing happened…"

He could not wait to make Yuugi squirm and beg for mercy once he beat her to a slimy little pulp. She was not worth his time, and he knew that it was most likely she would not have the money with her. She was completely broke, with her cheap game shop house and the fact that she barely carried around lunch money.

He smirked.

She would suffer for her ignorance.

* * *

><p>Lunch was awkward for Yuugi. She managed to walk through the swinging doors to reach the farthest corner in the cafeteria, plopping herself down in the one empty spot she could find. Anzu followed, sitting across from her with a smorgasbord on her plastic tray. Claiming she was hungry, the woman wolfed down so much food it was hard to keep track on how much she actually ate. Remnants of cheesy pasta, rice and broccoli were left behind, making Yuugi's nose wrinkle.<p>

"So, Yuugi," Anzu started as she wiped her mouth with a napkin. "You haven't talked to me since gym. What's going on with you? You just seem really… distant. Quiet." She was skeptical.

_Damn. _Yuugi inwardly rolled her eyes. "Nothing's going on, Anzu. I promise. I told you that this week—"

"Has been busy. I know, I know," Anzu murmured. "Yuugi, you're never this closed off from me. I just want to make sure that you're okay." Her gaze then hardened into fierce blue stones. "It wasn't Jounouchi or Honda, was it? Were they picking on you again? The nerve of those two!"

Yuugi stammered, trying to get her friend's attention. "Actually, that's a funny story! I think… I think I'm friends with them now."

The look on Anzu's face was so blank Yuugi knew she made the wrong decision in telling her so soon.

"Yuugi, you have got to be kidding me. Those dorks have been harassing you since school started. And no, it's not because they're shy and they want to get to know you better. You always made excuses for them. Just because someone says they want to be your friend does not mean they actually _want to be your friend_."

A hurt look crossed Yuugi's eyes, her lips turning thin and straight. Anzu frowned, biting her lip at her sharp words.

"I'm sorry, Yuugi. I just don't want you to get hurt anymore. I care for you." Anzu shrugged, a much softer expression lacing her lips and gaze. "You're my best friend."

Yuugi's puzzle turned colder by the second, as if trying to draw Yuugi's attention away from Anzu's apology. For some reason the entity behind the artifact always reacted bitterly to Anzu's presence. A touch on the shoulder, a friendly smile… it was always met with something negative from the puzzle.

A deep, barely audible hiss whisked through Yuugi's ear, startling her. Almost… almost a _growl _of sorts. It was echoed in shape, traveling through her mind like a jealous whisper.

Snapping out of her trance, Yuugi's mind traced back to Jounouchi. "I think he and I are friends. Jounouchi, I mean."

The doors flipped open and closed once more, revealing Honda and Jounouchi with their confident scowls and their crookedly assembled jackets.

Yuugi was tempted to wave, but the constant ice-cold shivering from the puzzle prevented this action. A burn, followed by a mixture of the two temperatures, replaced it. Faded emotions, as negative as a shadow, swam between her link with the puzzle and the voice behind it.

Something was disturbing the entity. She only wished she knew what it was.

* * *

><p>Once, the Soul Room was lavished with interesting scents and the echoing tumble of tiny pebbles and larger stones. The imagination of jewels sticking to cement buildings, the shifting tides of sweet golden sand, and the burning hot rays of a glorious sun had once dwelled in so many minds of many different eras. Different times, different souls that lived in each period would never remember something so fantastic and easy.<p>

The unnamed soul had struggled to remain calm through his many years of entrapment. The Millennium Puzzle was an enigma; thousands of floating stone staircases, opening and closing wooden doors, and mazes. So many unbearable mazes. Yet with each century or so he was able to grow more patient and subdued in the strange environment.

His private containment within the Millennium Puzzle was but an empty chamber. Walls and floors of blank, nameless gray stone. Sometimes it shone blue depending on his mood and how angry or how sorrowful he was. At times he did not even remember what it felt like to be emotional as a human being. His memories were gone, and he knew he would never be able to replace such feelings.

Yet… he was revealed. Eight mundane years before, by the wise gauze of an old man. He was short and appeared different, yet the shattered pieces of the artifact were all that remained important for the spirit. He could barely keep his own mind intact, but once the pieces slowly tumbled together, it became clearer where he was. The staircases were formed, the doors cracked from their seals, and new ideas arrived.

The old man had given his precious soul away as a gift. That foolish creature. But he felt only regret once he was placed in the hands of a supposedly daft young girl.

She had beautiful eyes. Innocent as the waves of a stream yet as expressive as any master's painting. Even so young, she was brilliant. Shy, but intelligent. The spirit did not care who she was, until he learned of her fascination. She wanted so desperately to become attached with other children her age, bond with other people like her.

She was interesting.

Appreciation had taken another step with the little girl around. Years passed, and she was frustrated with her life, tears constantly falling from her lovely, lovely gaze of deep violet. She was more intriguing than any maze in the blasted Millennium Puzzle. Without even knowing who she was, he always waited, watching from within the tiny golden box, until she was awake and she would try to piece him together once more.

Years before, he had seen it as appreciation and surprise. But his nature had darkened since then, and now she was much older. Sixteen, if he recalled correctly. The moment she completed the puzzle he was able to communicate with her. Sending links of disturbance or happiness to her was not enough anymore.

He wanted to talk to her. He needed to be stronger. He needed a life… a tainted life that would tread upon his territory without permission. Even with permission he would not allow something so dreadful. Why should he share the company of his savior? His selfless host? He had seen her talk, walk, tremble… she was fragile yet strong. Like a bird with no wings she had potential, but only could it be revealed at the right opportunity.

The spirit felt his teeth grind in anger, frustration building into his ghostly fists. His gaze was known as beautiful as well, yet dangerous. He had sent the image of his eyes to the girl, trying to get her to remember him. And she did. She dreamt of his eyes, the color of human blood, with the haunting obsidian irises.

And then he learned her name.

Yuugi. It was simple. Easy to remember.

This _Yuugi_, however, was distressed. Her business was ridiculous to the spirit, yet he would do whatever he could to assist her. It was not enough to repay her for her selflessness in trying to complete his prison. She was unknowingly helping a creature so dark and dangerous that it could destroy her.

He thought about this. He wanted to please her; assist her in any possible way he could. But at the presence of that odd brunette with the comparatively ugly face and startling snappiness, he grew cold. Angry. He did not want Yuugi around such a creature.

He sent signals. Warnings. Trying to get through to his host without disturbing her. Over the eight years in which his prison was under ownership of the Mutou family, he had developed a sense of… predatory, longing for the girl. He wanted her safe at all costs, for her actions toward him and matters that not even he understood.

Whether it was jealousy or not, he was not happy. Not happy at all.

Opening his eyes, the spirit glanced up from leaning casually against his Soul Room wall. Like shifting optical lenses, his gaze shifted toward the invisible ceiling, a vibrating echo of Yuugi's thoughts traveling to his own.

He snarled bitterly. She was still upset. Stressed. Something about the brute named Ushio… a bastard that he will be rid of soon.

He growled quietly. It was the least he could do.

* * *

><p>"So, Mutou, where's my money?" Ushio chuckled loudly, his gang chattering aimlessly behind him like a chorus of backup birds. They were obnoxious and followed him around like a gang of lost puppies, and Yuugi was not in the mood to deal with every single one of them.<p>

But fear gripped her harder than any other claw in her mind. Slightly gulping and glancing down at her long sweatpants and the hem of her sweatshirt, she wanted to leave and pretend that none of this ever happened. It was her own fault she called Ushio to deal with Jounouchi and Honda and, not only did she regret it, but she felt a wallowing lump of guilt in her stomach for days.

Ushio snarled. "I said… where's my money, bitch?" He spat on the ground, grabbing her throat and slamming her to the wall. A stray cat scrambled from behind the knocked-over trash can, mewling as it scurried away. Ushio ignored this, his grip tightening on the girl as she tried to remain defiant and not burst into a scared frenzy at what was happening to her. "Come on. You said you'd bring it. All of it. One million yen, you little brat."

"Looks like she don't got it, Boss," one of his goons murmured.

Ushio grinned mischievously. "Heh. You don't, do ya?" Yuugi moaned in pain from the feeling of his hand around her neck; it was similar to being choked by a football glove. "Hmph. I won't break your neck. Just 'cause you're a _girl_, and hell, I even feel a little sorry for you."

"But we gotta take all of your money, you stupid runt. Every coin."

Yuugi groaned, her much smaller hands trying desperately to twist Ushio's powerful wrist. He finally released her, smirking in satisfaction as she coughed and tried to gather herself. He kneed her in her stomach, laughing loudly as she collapsed to the ground. The huge blow left her grumbling in pain for many long, agonizing seconds.

Yuugi's teeth ground, her fists clenching from the pain and the hatred for herself. Why did she have to be so goddamn weak? She was defenseless, and practically handed herself on a silver platter to Ushio!

The puzzle burned far hotter than ever before, stinging through the thick fabric of her sweatshirt. She slipped on the garment in order to hide her artifact from Ushio in case he would try to take it from her.

And, without her knowledge, the spirit possessing the Millennium Puzzle was more than grateful.

_**... release me… let me out… let me destroy them…**_

She blinked, her mind churning in painful circles. The voice, the voice was talking to her again. Beckoning her, like in her visions and daydreams.

… _**they will pay… they will all pay for this, Yuugi… just let me out…**_

Despite the faded tone, she could tell the entity was angry and boiling with so much aggression and hatred that it was impossible for her to tell how monstrous the spirit really was. She only saw the sinister crimson orbs in her close visions, how they plagued her memories… it was scalding, like a permanent mark.

She then whimpered, desperate now and despising herself for how weak she was. Strangely, this made the puzzle burn even more. Was the spirit angry with her? She hoped not. She hoped she wasn't giving herself another enemy.

The voice returned, gentler yet still firm.

… _**Yuugi, say it… call me out… let me protect you…**_

She gulped, growling toward no one in particular. She was so weak, so tired. _Whoever you are, help me. Please._

Ushio chuckled, ready to slam his shoe onto Yuugi's face. "Gonna squish you like a bug, you little—"

The world collapsed within darkness, with Ushio as the centerpiece.

* * *

><p>Panic flooded the distracted bully's brain. He glanced around him, eyes wide and frantic as he struggled to recollect what just happened to him. The walls of the sandstone buildings were gone, the trash bins disappeared and even the fleeing black cat had vanished from view. Not a single scent dwelled in the horrifying and empty place, only the sick sense of dread and longing lingered.<p>

"Hm. Strange. You are far uglier up close," a slick, silver voice whispered. It was highly masculine and deep with a fiery edge. Ushio's flesh was drenched in sweat, and he suddenly forgot all about his life once his memories began flashing in front of his eyes.

Damn. He was going to die.

_You're dreaming you're dreaming you're dreaming you're dreaming—_

"Your very smell is like the remains of a dog's carcass. Yet even your disgusting appearance is nothing to your inexcusable actions. I hate souls like you… greedy and restless." A pregnant pause drifted through the air, sweat beads forming on the nape of Ushio's paralyzed neck. The voice returned, darker than ever as footsteps treaded through the dark realm. "You _hurt my host_, you despicable son of a bitch. Do you understand what you have done? You have made me far too angry to even _consider _sparing you… even with Yuugi awake, I would not listen to her. She would spare you. Her soul is too… pure."

Ushio growled, trying to be defiant, yet his body was frozen perfectly still. His leg was poised in the air, frozen from where he was going to stomp on Yuugi's face and break her jawbone like he had done to the Katsuya boy.

And then he saw it… or rather, _him_. A slender, yet toned shape of a young man with sharp features and the most haunting, frightening eyes he had ever seen. The snow-white pupils were dilated, expressing heaps of bottled fury that Ushio knew was going to be unleashed on him. His lips were set in a straight line, his spiky hair strikingly similar to Yuugi's, yet cut in a masculine style and sticking straight up rather than down. He appeared similar, but he was clearly male and he looked like he was ready to slaughter thousands.

And then his mouth quirked at one corner, turning into the most sick, monstrous grin that Ushio had ever seen.

He couldn't speak.

The man chuckled grimly. "You will die." His eyes lit up like fire. "Of course, with torture. It is unacceptable to even lay a finger on my host's head. Her eyes express so much grief and you choose to ignore it. Fools like you deserve death. Remember these words while you suffer in my Shadow Realm, you stupid cretin."

Lithe serpentine shadows bled from the atmosphere, clouding Ushio with countless promises of grief and endless torture. His mute screams filled the void, and the spirit only watched with bloodlust clouding his mesmerizing, deceiving eyes.

Already, the price of tainted human life pushed power into the spirit's growing soul. He felt stronger. Soon, he would be able to travel freely.

Soon, he would be able to show himself to his host. To his Yuugi.

* * *

><p><strong>Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!<strong>

**I'm so sorry for the delay, my faithful readers! Tennis just started at my school and I've been sick. On top of those two things I've been studying like crazy. Math is especially hard for me so it takes a lot longer than normal… but anyway, I knew I needed to update this story after such great reception, and I know I haven't replied to all of the reviews yet so I'll get to that soon.**

**Thank you so much for reading! I really loved writing this chapter and I especially loved writing that one segment on entering Yami's thoughts and his first impressions of Yuugi. His dark obsession will grow, I promise. But it's going to be more… realistic, I guess is the right word. I will update as soon as possible (tomorrow or the next day) since I've already started writing the third chapter. I'm on a roll right now. **

**I'm so sorry for that awful delay! I know this sounds a little greedy right now, but please review and constructive criticism is always welcome! I hope you enjoyed the chapter. **

**~ Duskblood**


	3. Chapter Three

**O B S I D I A N**

* * *

><p><em><span>~ Chapter Two ~<span>_

* * *

><p>Trapped within a temporary stasis of comfort and escapism, Yuugi was confident that she was still alive. Impactful bruises marred her flesh, staining certain spots around her lively, childish violet eyes. With such a youthful face, to see black splotches disassemble the imagery of ivory skin, dark eyes and extravagant hair would have been a complete sin to selfless people.<p>

To the common bully, seeing Yuugi in such a state would have made their stomachs shudder with laughter. A groan swelled within Yuugi's throat, the salty tang of what was once blood roaring in the back of her mouth. Grimacing, she tried to ignore the terrible taste and focus on whatever comforting dreams or state of consciousness she was experiencing at the moment.

After witnessing a rollercoaster of ecstatic emotions and subconscious celebrations, she was greeted with a final level of nothing. Whatever entranced her into such a delightful slumber was what fascinated her the most. She remembered hearing the haunting voice, its seductive tone beckoning for her to speak its name. Call for help. If she hadn't, she would have been in serious danger. Maybe even killed.

"—ugi? Yuugi? Guys, I think she's waking up."

Yuugi's fingertips twitched at the familiar voice. Slightly gasping from her break of sleep, her hands flexed instinctively into whatever surface she used for a bed. Soft silken sheets, still warm from the dryer, and she imagined them to be pale white, like the rest of her uninteresting bedroom. The only things that colored the studious image were the bookshelves flooded with gaming merchandise, with a gigantic poster of the Duel Monsters Tournament plastered along the walls.

She would have been embarrassed if the houseguest was anyone other than her grandfather or Anzu. Grumbling, Yuugi cracked one eye open, barely able to concentrate on the several blurred faces obscuring her vision. She could fairly make out the shock of blonde hair and concerned, surprisingly warm brown eyes that reminded her of a Golden Retriever…

She would have to remember that. Apparently the former bully Jounouchi Katsuya shared striking resemblance to a very popular dog.

If her face wasn't in so much pain she would have laughed at the image of Jounouchi with floppy mammalian ears. She felt even more relief at glimpsing Anzu's thoughtful, protective eyes. She was both her sister and the mother she never had; a perfect maternal icon rolled into an intelligent yet hyperactive teenager.

Yuugi blinked. Once. Twice.

Anzu breathed a sigh of relief, her fingers bunching around the edges of her uniform skirt. "Gods, Yuugi, you almost gave me a heart attack!"

Jounouchi snorted, still sporting several cuts and bandages from his own beating. Now he and Yuugi matched in a sense; this thought was also slightly amusing, despite the depth of the situation. Ushio had reigned terror on the both of them but, unlike Jounouchi, Yuugi was saved in the nick of time by… by _something_.

"Mazaki, you worry about every little detail. She's fine. See?" But even in such a conflicted state of mind, Yuugi could see the almost brotherly worry in his dark brown eyes. Behind the two of them, Honda was standing with his arms folded firmly across his chest. He was a stoic figure at times, despite his mostly goofy personality. Jounouchi probably would have reprimanded him if not for all fo the attention focused on Yuugi.

And then, panic settled in as realization dawned.

Her Puzzle!

Yuugi shot straight up from her bed, her eyes unfocused and shot extremely wide, ignoring the subtle pain of purple bruises brought to the action. Her blankets were now ruffled from her reckless awakening, her hands suddenly shooting toward her chest. She searched without looking, too worried for her Puzzle.

Anzu blinked. "Yuugi, what's wrong?"

"My Puzzle!" Yuugi bit her lip, suddenly feeling extremely guilty. What if she had lost the Puzzle to Ushio? What if he had stolen it after she fell unconscious? The voice that inhabited her dreams and gave her so many comforting emotions and feelings… would the holder of such a soothing voice ever forgive her for this mistake?

Jounouchi's eyes widened to the size of dinner saucers. "Whoa, Yuug'! Calm down! Your grandpa's got your funky trinket downstairs. He took it off when we brought you home." The blonde's gaze then narrowed, the exact opposite of before into what rivaled the sharpness of spearheads. "Who did this to you, Yuug'?"

Anzu growled, swatting his arm. "Leave her alone! She just woke up and she's probably confused."

"You don't have to talk about me like I'm not here, Anzu," Yuugi muttered. She turned toward her friend with softer eyes. "I'm okay. I promise." Physically, she did not care. But she wanted her Puzzle. Relief had already settled at hearing her Puzzle was in the house, just minutes, or maybe even seconds from her grasp.

Honda glanced up with a risen eyebrow. "You're pretty lucky we found you when we did. Ushio was acting… crazy."

A grim silence stilled the room. Yuugi frowned at this, scratching the back of her head without entirely knowing why she should feel so awkward.

"He was rambling about cash and how much he had in his hand, but then he would scream, like he was in pain or something. It was crazy. Like, _bat-shit _crazy." Honda grimaced, shaking his head as if remembering the gruesome details from such a scene. "Jou and I found you, Yuug'. We thought Ushio tried to kill you. You got a couple bruises but," Honda put on a tender smile, "nothin' you can't handle, right?"

Yuugi nodded, a blush of gratitude warming her cheeks. "Right." But then, she recalled the sharp details of what happened to Ushio, and looked toward Honda with skeptical eyes. "Ushio… he's alright?"

Jounouchi snorted. "Who cares if the bastard's alright! At least he didn't put a good number on ya, Yuug'. That could have been pretty ugly if we didn't get there when we did. We scared off his goons and we had to call the police to get to Ushio. Whatever happened after that didn't really matter."

Yuugi frowned. "Ushio's… in prison?"

"Maybe. Who gives a shit?" Honda growled. "After what he did to us? It's not fair, Yuugi. He deserved whatever happened to him."

So neither Jounouchi nor Honda saw what happened to Ushio? Yuugi felt her heart leap on instinct, concern settling in her mind as her blood began to pump faster. She could imagine how she would have collapsed onto the ground, unconscious, as the voice had requested. She was once fully prepared to feel the brunt force of Ushio's steel-toed boot… and then she had blacked out. She barely even remembered the words of the strange being that inhabited her Millennium Puzzle.

She swallowed. Ushio could be in prison, or even in an _asylum _due to Yuugi's reckless actions. She should have thought over her options and should have never called him in the first place. She had regretted meeting Ushio once, but how was she supposed to control herself and her guilt when thinking about these people? Even she believed that bullying was nonsense, but not even Ushio deserved something so harsh. He couldn't have gone on a random psychological terror without something interfering.

It had to have been the Puzzle. Something to do with her Millennium Item. Grimacing, Yuugi fought the urge to vomit at what could have occurred between the bearer of the Puzzle and Ushio's helpless mind.

She could not even picture it without feeling guilty. Ushio was a terrible person, and she would never deny that, but this type of suffering was… barbaric. The images concocted in her head were not what she wanted to happen to the forsaken, ignorant man.

The door creaked open, revealing the kindly old face of Sugoroku Mutou. In his calloused hands was the Millennium Puzzle, still shining like newly polished gold and proudly declaring the Eye of Ra in the center. It was a beautiful creation, and Yuugi could not hesitate to embrace both her grandfather and to retrieve her precious gift from him. The object was still as she remembered it: untouched, brimming with untold secrets that only she would be able to figure out in the near future.

Unsurprisingly, a sense of gentleness and gratitude filled her. She smiled, trying to send these emotions through the link between she and the Puzzle. In reaction, she felt streams of appreciation and a shock of darker, untold emotion that she could not decipher. It was so… thick on its impact, but it spoke so many strange words to her. She didn't understand it.

* * *

><p>Deep within the Puzzle, a hysterical and positively insane spirit was sporting the most maniacal grin in a long, long time. A grin of satisfaction and desire, and he had hoped his channels of lust and want would transfer properly to Yuugi. To both his relief and curiosity, she did not understand such feelings. She was too innocent. Too… light.<p>

Light. The word held such rhythm and gracefulness within its core. It pleased the spirit greatly. He needed something as feathery and graceful as light, especially that of the light within his eternally bound partner. He labeled her as a bountiful creature of countless gifts and ideas that she was afraid to express.

She was an angel still unprepared to spread her wings. Glossy, miles-long wings that would stretch for the longest horizon and brim with feathers that were brighter than that of a swan's. No, no… not even that. Her wings would take flight to whatever location imaginable in the human mind. To the spirit's intense greed, he would be the only creature to see such light.

He had mentally destroyed Ushio. The miserable cretin screamed for mercy, begging for the opportunity to repay for his sinful debts. However, there was nothing able to repay for Yuugi's colossal suffering. So much emotional and physical weight had formed on her shoulders, tearing her fragility apart.

The spirit's fists slowly clenched in barely concealed rage. Stones began to chip way within his sacred Soul Room, the colors brightening and darkening in each second in response to his conflicting emotions. Dancing pillars of black entity, rivaling the thickness and terrifying aura of smoke, drifted in patterns toward the spirit's hungry form.

He had killed one human and absorbed his useless soul. Such darkness built more stature to the spirit's future physical form. One more despicable soul that deserved judgment would be enough to have him show himself fully to Yuugi. She would need to see him for the first time, not just in her dreams, but to actually encounter him outside of the dreaded Millennium Puzzle.

After all, she was his Light. He knew positively well that she belonged to him. He would have considered the obsession as platonic and uneventful, with how useless she seemed eight years ago once his Puzzle was placed into her carefree, reckless hands. But now she stood before him, her heart purer than any blanket of snow, with such eyes…

Gods, those eyes!

The spirit rested against his makeshift throne, the stone far less comfortable against his back and legs than what would have been a golden statuette with velvet cushions. He could imagine brilliant gemstones dappling his walls and armrests, where he could constantly imagine the wealth and destruction of a single world at his fingertips.

Growling lowly, the spirit snapped his fingers.

The strange Shadows subtly formed, colliding together to create the image of the outside world, where the greedy spirit could witness his host and her pathetic tagalongs that she dubbed as friends.

His nose wrinkled, his fingers twitching at the sight of the two males… two somewhat _strong _men that inhabited the private quarters of her bedroom. They were not observing her in an outlandish manner, but even their presence so close to his flawless angel was not permitted. He would need to establish his concerns and his future rules toward his Light once he was able to speak with her properly.

A Mind Link was not enough. It was powerful, but only existed when she was in close surroundings of the Millennium Puzzle.

His teeth ground at the thought of her leaving her Puzzle, or of some heinous creature stealing her Puzzle away. She even dubbed his containment as her precious object, her _fabled treasure_. She adored him without even meeting him yet. This was good, but it was not nearly good enough.

He longed to touch her. To trace his fingers over her sweet, innocent lips; lips as pink as the flesh of a new plum.

By the Shadows, he _needed _her.

"Aibou…" He growled. He would be the only one to say her tender name, and to call her such genuine titles. She was his partner; his Light. She had no realization of having her own Darkness, as she was far too pure and too noble to even notice how much hatred she should feel for one person. But the spirit was glad she had no idea of her own negative feelings; it made her all the more beautiful, more precious to the collective and hateful world that she was trapped in. He longed to free her of such a place, protect her from the dangers that stalked her in every corner of the sacred mortal world. He was sheltered within the dreaded eternal maze of the Millennium Puzzle, but what choice did he have? He had no idea where to go from within his Puzzle, other than to serve his host and please her.

Any who would shed a single tear from her flowery eyes would perish. He had made this promise to himself after witnessing the destruction of Ushio's mind, just in the nick of time to see how fruitful his actions truly were. He was punishing the monster that would dare harm his other half, his Light. He was right in his judgment.

He hoped she would not be scared.

Snarling like a wild animal, he pounded his hands into the armrests of his rock-made throne. Dents in the shapes of his palms and fingers were implanted into the construction work, only frustrating him even further. If he approached Yuugi too quickly, she would shy away from him. His Darkness was powerful, but so was her Light. Could they counter each other? Create a delicate equilibrium?

It was not highly possible.

The hissing of the Shadows suddenly drew the lost spirit's attention. Snorting, he stared into the reflection of the mortal world, and his eyes widened. Several hours had already passed in their world when it seemed like minutes within the Puzzle. Perhaps the spirit would need to pay much more attention to these events in order to keep track of his host.

A purr rose in his throat. The girl was observing the Puzzle with the intelligence and curiosity of people that were years ahead of her. Her hair was tousled and brought over her left shoulder, exposing the slender stature of her swan-like neck. Growling in desire, the spirit could only let his fists clench and only wish that he was close to actually touching the angel.

The girl rubbed her eyes, yawning and gazing out into the starlit skies. The spirit was fascinated by each and every action she made; she was too beautiful, too selfless and far too kindhearted to even notice what others thought about her. She passed off her burdens and dismissed her own feelings.

That was not acceptable. He would have to change that about her. Make her stronger. She needed to defend herself properly against the threats of her world. Until he was able to fully protect his Light, she needed advice to remain sheltered from danger.

He snapped his fingers, watching as the Shadows dispersed. He would do what he could to meet Yuugi tonight.

* * *

><p>Yuugi's thoughts were too occupied for her to fall asleep. She left her desk lamp flickering on and off, the light bulb twitchy and obviously needing to be replaced. She folded her arms behind her head, relaxing against the warmth of her cool cloth pillow. Posters and magazines of video games and the popular Duel Monsters card game were splayed out over the floors.<p>

She was often enveloped in creative frenzies whenever she thought of her Puzzle. Its shapes and patterns were fascinating and drove her to think of how many strategies she could make in one game, or even ponder the rules of another to consider its complexities and level designs. She was a fully-fledged geek at heart, but rarely did she ever expose such a thoughtful side.

She mostly kept to herself, even from her grandfather. Sugoroku would never question his prized relative's social life, but he was occasionally concerned about her reputation on school grounds and how the ordinary students thought of her. There were always going to be bullies, two of which happening to become her friends.

Sighing, Yuugi shifted in her bed, suddenly finding her Puzzle on the corner of her desk. A small smile graced her lips; something rescued her during Ushio's assault. She wasn't completely stupid in her eyes; she knew that it had to have been a supernatural force. Powerful, otherworldly, monstrous or not, she owed the bearer of the mysterious voice a lot of gratitude.

_**Go to sleep, my Light.**_

Her eyes widened, her fingers delving further into the blankets that swallowed her tiny body. _You're back. _

A light chuckle; resembling a hollow whisper, echoed within the room. It bounced off the walls like a rampaging fly.

_**Innocent Light, you must rest. We will talk soon. I know you have many questions and I am all too happy to answer them. **_

The tone was much kinder than Yuugi had remembered. In only a matter of hours, or days… it had changed dramatically. Sinking her teeth into her bottom lip, she considered this, dabbles of ear invading her conscience and advising her to remain confident and to refuse such offerings.

_But I don't know who you are. _

_**You will in due time. Now, rest. **_

She barely had a choice, as if a pair of invisible hands massaged her subconscious, quickly lulling her into a deep slumber.

* * *

><p>A stir of discomfort snapped Yuugi from her trace of brief dreams. She felt her fingers dabble around an entirely different set of blankets, thick and multiple as they stacked on top of her like crimson velvet pancakes. Blinking rapidly, she struggled to sit up in the tight mess, with numerous pillows splayed behind her to support her already aching neck. A canopy, brimming with intertwining colors of dark blue and red, blocked the image of a stony ceiling.<p>

Stuffed animals and toys from her childhood were scattered across the room, suddenly betraying the mature image of her elaborate bedspread. Numerous bookshelves were clustered with old Egyptian souvenirs that her grandfather would purchase from the market stalls when he visited Cairo.

Swallowing, Yuugi blinked in a way that was similar to a confused reptile.

"I am glad you are awake, my Light."

Yuugi froze, the voice sending shivers along her spine. Hairs rose along the nape of her neck, shock suddenly drying her tongue as she whipped her head around to face the cool, calm and collected gaze of the most beautiful man she had ever seen.

He stood with a sense of violent grace that would have rivaled the controlled posture of a lion, prepared for a pleasurable hunt. He was dressed in what seemed to be a simple white shirt and faded jeans, as if it was the only thing available to him for the short amount of time he inhabited the Puzzle while in her possession. His features were sharp, like that of a sculpture, with the same piercing eyes that she had seen too many times in her dreams. He was tall and slender, with a possible muscular build underneath his clothes.

Even with this… he did not seem entirely human.

Yuugi was dumbstruck. "You… y-you're the spirit. The Spirit of the Puzzle."

The spirit's attractive grin spread wider and wider at her discoveries, his mesmerizing gaze matching the sharpness and shape of his tricolored hair. Strangely enough, he seemed less of a human figure in this odd room.

"Where am I?" she whispered, captured in awe.

The spirit gestured to the space around them, speaking in a way that was both satisfied and uncomfortable. "This is your Soul Room, Aibou."

The title rang in Yuugi's ears; Aibou. Partner.

She could not stop the blush that flooded her pale cheeks. Instantly, the spirit was forced to repress a purr of delight that she was even in his presence. Shaking her head as if to believe she is still sleeping, Yuugi stared toward the spirit with a risen eyebrow.

"How did you bring me here?"

"I have gotten stronger since our last conversation, Aibou," he responded quickly. "Perhaps you do not realize that you have gotten stronger as well?" He smirked once the girl crossed her arms, her curiosity more amusing than any stubborn feline's. "I see that you're not happy with my answers."

"I'm just confused, is all." Yuugi then put on a small, barely noticeable smile. "But I know it was you who saved me. Thank you."

Her gratitude made his hunger grow. She was astounding, this beautiful creature. She had no idea what affect she had on him.

He cleared his throat and dipped his head. "You are my host, the solver of the Puzzle. It is only in my best respects that I destroy whoever harms you."

Yuugi blinked. "Destroy?" The fear was apparent in her voice, and the spirit frowned.

"Do you not understand the consequences that come when foolish bastards like Ushio touch you? Harm you? Make you cry?" He growled. "Perhaps you must learn then, what will happen to all of them."

"But Ushio is still alive," Yuugi murmured.

The spirit's frustration grew. He wanted his Light's attention to be focused on _him_, not a wasted bully who's soul was already fed to the fabled Shadow Realm. "Do not think about him right now, Aibou."

Yuugi rubbed her neck in an awkward manner. "You can just call me Yuugi."

The spirit almost moaned out her name, but he stopped this immediately. "I will address you as Aibou, my Light… but I need a name, Yuugi."

The girl frowned, as if pitying him. "You don't have a name." It wasn't a question. She would have guessed that the nameless spirit would have told her his name in their first conversation, even when they had not seen each other's faces.

The spirit approached her, extending one long-fingered hand toward her face. She was so tempting to touch, but his fingers slid on through, his ghostly figure suddenly apparent, and Yuugi felt instantly sorry for the man. His fingers slightly trembling in disappointment and anger, he pulled back his fingers and glared toward the opposite wall.

"I'm sorry."

"No, no. I should have expected it. I'm not strong enough to touch physical forms yet. I thought that if I brought you here, into your Soul Room that I would be able to touch you. But…" the spirit pondered this for a moment. "It makes sense. I am far too dark to take hold of your Light, Aibou." He sounded pained, but it was layered over with secretive malice and hatred for his weakened powers.

Yuugi considered this for a moment. "You're dark. You have Darkness. You say I have Light." She then smiled, turning toward him and flipping off the bed covers. Her slender legs dropped to the floor, walking to his side to grab his attention. "Then I want to name you Yami. Since you consider yourself so dark."

The spirit blinked, turning toward her with a shade of gratitude in his entrancing blood-colored orbs. "Then my name shall be Yami."


	4. Chapter Four

** N**

_~ Chapter Four ~_

* * *

><p>"I'm telling you, Yuugi, I thought you were going to be in even more trouble than you were." Anzu Mazaki was a complete motor-mouth the next morning after the incident with Ushio. Though Yuugi truly did appreciate her friend's overprotective behavior, she was not in the mood to listen to one of her ramblings. When Anzu happened to be very passionate about a topic, she would not stop talking about it.<p>

_It's better than not having a caring friend at all,_ Yuugi quickly reminded herself. She needed to be more careful when she thought of her close friends and how lucky she was to have them by her side and supporting her. Anzu Mazaki, one of the most likely people to _not _befriend the unpopular Yuugi Mutou, was one of the kindest and most understanding people she had ever met.

_**Though she seems to bother you. Why you tolerate her is beyond me, Aibou. **_The Spirit of the Puzzle, newly dubbed Yami, was not particularly fond of Anzu and used every opportune moment to point out something negative about her personality. Yuugi sighed, tenderly tapping the surface of the Millennium Puzzle, carefully worn around her slender neck.

_Anzu's a good person. You'll learn to like her and the others. _She knew that Yami would be impatient and grumpy with her companions for a while, but it wasn't in her calendar to ever schedule a date on when she would have him meet her human friends. He was a spirit, trapped within the Egyptian artifact for thousands of years.

It was highly unlikely he would be able to even talk to them, let alone manifest outside of his safe haven.

A growl resonated from the puzzle, sending a shocking link through their connected minds. Yami was highly territorial and rarely responded positively when Yuugi was thinking of something other than a topic that concerned her new companion. She held respect for the lost spirit, but other than that she really had no idea of how she was supposed to talk to him.

His memories were gone.

_**I wish I could tell you everything, Yuugi. **_Yami's tone was reassuring yet rough, clearly wishing he hadn't upset her. _**I would hate to cause you frustration, especially when I try so hard for you to stay happy and focused.**_

Yuugi felt her cheeks warm. Why was he so… guarding of her?

"Yuugi? Are you even listening to me?" Anzu demanded, her large blue eyes expressive and hopeful that her childhood companion paid attention to her rant. Yuugi blinked widely and shook her head, sighing as she rubbed her temples.

"Sorry, Anzu. I'm… distracted."

"Ever since you solved that puzzle, you've been _distracted_," Anzu grumbled, crossing her arms underneath her bosom. "I'm just worried about you. Even Jou and Honda are worried about you, and that's saying a lot."

"Not really." Yuugi smiled; the first genuine smile she showed in several years. Anzu's heart slightly swelled at seeing such a happy and beautiful expression on her dear friend's lips, and she quirked a small grin of her own. Blinking out of her daze, Yuugi absentmindedly brushed down her uniform with one hand.

"So, what's eating you?" Anzu whispered, her attention suddenly focused on the golden object settled around Yuugi's neck. The artifact held so much raw energy that Anzu could almost sense it… it bothered her that Yuugi could potentially be involved in something dangerous, but no matter how many times she questioned her about it, the Mutou would concoct random excuses that wouldn't make any sense whatsoever.

"Nothing," Yuugi replied, shrugging. Staring ahead of her, the Mutou girl blinked at seeing the school's hallways cluttered with rampaging students, several of them bickering with each other over a much-talked-about article in the newspaper. Anzu rolled her eyes, cocking her hip as she pat Yuugi on the back.

"The latest news, even outside of gossip, always gets everyone in a riled up mess." She chuckled, pausing as she took notice of Jounouchi and Honda ignoring their peers, also talking about the most recent news broadcast on television and printed on local papers. The Mazaki snorted and turned her attention fully toward her friend, smiling widely. "Come on, Yuugi. Let's get to class—"

"Yuugi!" Jounouchi turned with a surprisingly wide and public smile, waving toward the two girls. "And Anzu! Come over here. Did you hear about this?"

_**Who is **_**that**_**? **_Yami demanded hostilely, his teeth barring in possessive rage as he noticed the slender and tall stature of the blonde, and how the suspicion of him being attracted to _his _Yuugi settled in.

_He's Jou. One of the friends I told you about. He's really nice. _

_**Maybe a little too nice, dear one. **_Yami scowled, but at this moment, no matter how desperately he wanted to, he was not going to intervene.

Anzu frowned. "What's up?"

"I just heard about it from folks on the basketball team. You know. Some huge criminal broke out of Domino City Jail."

Honda snickered. "Or it's just a rumor and people 'round here are just trying to make us angry and look like idiots. That wouldn't really surprise me, you know." He nudged his friend, who only glared in return.

Yuugi frowned. "A jailbreak sounds really serious. When did it happen?"

"Sometime yesterday afternoon," Jounouchi confirmed, shrugging. "I mean, it's got nothin' to do with us. We sure as hell don't have to worry about it."

"Then why is everyone freaking out?" Yuugi questioned, raising one eyebrow. She had underestimated people before and made stupid decisions. She wanted to be safe, and Domino City Jail was only several blocks away from the Game Shop. _Grandpa… _She shook her head, her hands tightening on the straps of her shoulder bag. "Well?"

"He just happens to be big around here, Yuug'. Don't worry about it." Jounouchi grinned childishly, ruffling Yuugi's hair.

Yami twitched. _**You let him touch you like that?**_

His host frowned at this demand and the hostility in her possessor's voice, sending a link of confusion through their bound minds. _What do you mean?_

_**Never mind, Aibou.**_ Yami would just never like this blonde's company. He needed to control every fiber of his being in order to not somehow restrict the bonds of the puzzle and tear this suave cretin to miserable little pieces.

"What's his name, then?" Anzu asked, her voice laced with an underlying layer of concern, though she wasn't going to be obvious about it. She was human and kept her fear open like everyone else, but she was far less admitting of her faults. Even dangerous moments and themes didn't cause her to flinch or wince unless she was alone and without any witnesses.

Honda's brow furrowed. "Some convict named Tetsu Tasaki. People are freaking out because he killed a guard when he escaped."

Yuugi frowned. "… Weird. Why is school even open today? Wouldn't it be barred down?"

"Let's not talk about it anymore," Anzu muttered, quickly trying to end the conversation. At the confused glances from the others she simply shrugged and put on a convincing, confident smile. "I think we all know that dwelling on a topic like that is just gonna ruin our day. So, that's the end of the discussion."

"You've been acting weird lately," Jounouchi grumbled, raising an eyebrow.

"No, I haven't," Anzu retorted, scowling. "I've been acting normal. There's nothing strange going on and I think it's stupid that because I would be having an off day, you would think that I'm being weird. Or acting strange. _Whatever_." Her hands practically flapped in the air as she rambled. "All of those definitions mean the same when referring to me! So stop hounding me!"

Yuugi stared at Anzu with disbelieving eyes.

Yami released a small chuckle of amusement. _**You never told me one of your friends happened to be a raving lunatic, my Light.**_

_She's not usually like this_, Yuugi replied. She wanted to defend Anzu, but she wasn't going to completely disagree with Jounouchi; he was right in the fact that she had been finicky over their recent conversations since the incident with Ushio.

_**She is also a terrible liar. Perhaps you should confront her about this by yourselves? **_

Yuugi frowned at the thought. _She wouldn't answer to me. If she's not talking now, she won't talk later, no matter how close we happen to be. _She wished the spirit's suggestion could work, but it would be riskier than expected. The last thing she or the two men wanted was a hormonal and rampaging, emotional Anzu stalking the halls of Domino High School.

"Let's just get to class," Anzu finished, glaring daggers toward both Honda and Jounouchi. Almost trapped in a stasis of automatic reaction, they rose their arms and shook their heads as to not provoke the intimidating girl any longer.

* * *

><p>Several hours passed, and Yuugi knew that her day could not be any slower. The clock seemed to swim through molasses through each period, and she was growing intolerable of the overheard snickers and rumors that sprouted between classes (which, of course, enraged her Darkness to no end, and his complaints would remain unheard in the depths of his puzzle).<p>

In the middle of Advanced Art, Yuugi smiled as she penned a delicate, curving line. The thick ball point was enough for her to provoke her imagination and draw anything to her heart's desire, and Advanced Art was one of few classes where the students could not mock her for her surprising talent. Paintings and sketches seemed to speak to her in a different language than harsh academics, and she took great pride in this aspect.

A certain fondness began to sprout in her beautiful, too-big eyes. The dark violet color revealed depths that were surprisingly powerful and held certain emotions that very few would be able to decipher. Smiling tinily to herself, she marveled at the sketch of two graceful yet hypnotic eyes, shaped familiarly and reminding her of her source.

_Can you see what I drew for you, Yami? _She remembered first taking notice of his eyes in their first official meeting. Those crimson orbs… they shone like pools of blood, enlivened with the desire to feel and learn in her world. She wished she could give it to him.

Yami's tone was grateful and appreciative. _**You have remarkable talent, my Aibou. No one else could match such perfection.**_

Yuugi felt a deep blush spread to her cheeks as she quickly closed her sketchbook, blinking rapidly. _Um…_

Yami chuckled. _**You shouldn't be embarrassed. You need to be complimented more, dearest partner.**_

Yuugi sighed. _Why do you call me that?_

_**Pardon? **_The echo of the spirit's voice drove his host to more and more questions. He seemed only kind at first, yet his goals remained a mystery to her.

_Dearest. You don't just call me Aibou. You call me… your 'dearest' Aibou. Why? We barely know each other._

She bristled outwardly as tender sensations of caring and desire spread through their link, gooseflesh springing up along her arms. She marveled at the strange sensation and then proceeded to shake her head.

_**You are dear to me. There is no other explanation for it, my Light. **_His tone was less suave, more sincere and tinged with a softer emotion that Yuugi could not decode. She was naïve and young; inexperienced.

Yuugi swallowed. _Oh._

* * *

><p>Unlike Advanced Art, the high school's massive gym was Yuugi Mutou's least favorite activity during the entire day. She hated having to participate in that dreadful class with relatively short clothes (in which she often switched with Anzu for sweat pants and even sweatshirts at times) and being the last when picked for a round of dodge ball. Fortunately for her, the class was short and only lasted forty minutes, in comparison to the ninety minute-long periods from earlier that day.<p>

Upon the ending of Gym Athletics, Yuugi slipped on a new shirt, loose and billowy over her slender and pale frame. She glanced toward Anzu, the beautiful girl being the envious target for most of the other female students that wished they had a figure like hers, and the attention that she gained for it.

Yuugi couldn't care less about such images, but her wish to be more attractive still existed. The bright side was the lack of attention from occasionally dangerous boys, and even Anzu would admit that certain students at Domino were reluctant to approach her because they were "secretly closet perverts".

Anzu smirked as she pulled a clean shirt over her head, letting her damp hair fall from her ponytail. "Good workout, huh, Yuugi?" She smiled, a complete change in personality from that same morning.

Yuugi tilted her head to the side after combing through her thick, spiky hair. "I guess. I don't like being around the others when they're so much stronger and faster than I am."

"Eh, you'll get used to it." Anzu winked, closing her dressing room locker and slipping on fresh-smelling sneakers. "I'm going for a jog after school. Do you think we could meet up at the library later?"

The Mutou girl shrugged, slender shoulders white against the dark colors of the locker room. "Jou mentioned something about a new fast food place that we may be going to after school." A bright, innocent smile overtook her lips.

Anzu nodded as she addressed her reflection in the mirror. "Really. What kind of fast food place? Is it any good?"

"It's new," Yuugi continued. "It's supposed to be really good. Some place called Burger World, or something like that—," Yuugi was abruptly cut off as the sharp _slam _of Anzu's locker sounded throughout the entire room. The girl watched with challenged, slightly unsure purple-blue eyes as her childhood friend uneasily shoved her athletic supplies into her bag.

"Um, well, I actually have things to do. Maybe we can go another time?" Anzu flashed her a slightly shaky smile.

Yuugi blinked. "Um… sure."

"Cool. Well, see you 'round!" The Mazaki girl departed from the room before Yuugi could protest. Scratching the back of her neck at the surprisingly awkward growth in atmosphere, Yuugi turned to her things and started to pack them as well.

_Weird._

* * *

><p>"See, Yuugi? I told you she'd act weird!" Jounouchi grumbled, taking an enormous bite out of his pulled pork sandwich, some American delicacy that he happened to be favoring lately. Beside him, Honda was nibbling on a small assortment of French fries, chuckling once he was able to find a longer fry and pop the delicious treat into his mouth. Yuugi had already politely refused samples from both of their meals, which also came from a local fast food restaurant that was entirely separate from this new place called Burger World. "I mean, she even told me to <em>not <em>go to Burger World, like its meat wasn't kosher or something… does it look like I care? I just want my meat!"

"Maybe she just doesn't like fast food?" Yuugi weakly suggested, to the dismay of both of her male friends.

Yami was already frustrated enough that she was _alone _with these two imbeciles. He would carefully disconnect his emotions from their Mind Link whenever those double-minded fools talked to her, in order to express his rage by himself in the corridors of his puzzle.

"That's not the reason," Honda muttered. "Mazaki's straightforward as it is. She would have told us if she had a problem with fast food. Besides, for a girl, she eats a lot. She lectures you about your diet all the time, Yuugi."

The granddaughter of Sugoroku slightly blushed in embarrassment. This statement was definitely true, and she was ashamed whenever Anzu would point out the unhealthy settlements to the food she liked to eat. She was so thin and sometimes undeniably too skinny that it considered her substitute "mother hen".

Jounouchi smirked, patting Yuugi's shoulder. "Eh, she's just messin' with you. She does it to me too."

"She tells you to eat _less_."

"Hey, it still counts!"

Yami stirred inside the puzzle, his arms firmly folded across his chest. His mind was focused elsewhere, a certain aura from his host's outside world sending deep uncertain connections into his thoughts. He wanted his Yuugi to be safe, and already his senses were dwindling with the amount of raw power that radiated through the thin, strange air.

_**Yuugi. Something feels… amiss.**_

The girl frowned and ceased walking, the cracked cement of the sidewalk nearly tripping her as she did so. Her male friends continued talking, failing to notice that she left their trail of conversation. Focusing on her link with the spirit, she channeled an emotion of confusion and unsettlement.

_What's going on?_

_**I don't like this. I want you to turn around now. **_

Yuugi's brow furrowed. _You can't just tell me to do that out of thin air. What aren't you telling me? Does this have to do with Anzu? Ever since you appeared she's been acting strange._

His response was cold and desperate to make her understand. _**Do not ignore me. Something is going to happen. Something terrible. I do not want you to be a part of that chaos. **_

_I think you're being paranoid. How could you even sense that?_

_**I know what I'm talking about, Aibou. **_Concern was laced in his voice. He already knew of the dangers lurking around the very corner, and if he lost his host's trust, she would be put in the middle of it. Struggling with his aggression and crazed personality, he attempted to convince her. _**Please, Aibou. You must listen.**_

The student of Domino rubbed one temple. _I'm tired, Yami. Why are you telling me this now instead of telling me hours before?_

_**I did sense it before! But it's stronger here. And now I know that it could easily concern you and your foolish friends.**_

_They're not foolish! _Yuugi hesitated. _Well, not all the time. You can't blame them for that, Yami. It's not their fault._

_**Stop defending them, my Light. **_He was turning desperate. His Yuugi could be in danger in a matter of minutes and it would be his fault to not stop her.

Jounouchi whistled in impressment at the massive, interestingly shaped building in front of them. Boasting glass walls and vibrant colors of yellow, orange and red, the highly appreciated and popular Burger World seemed pleasing to the eye and radiated the sense of inexpensive, delicious fast food.

"Cool. Ready to go inside, Yuug'?" Jounouchi glanced over his shoulder, sporting a quirky smile, yet stopped at seeing the zoned expression on his friend's face. "Hello…? Earth to Yuugi?"

Honda chuckled. "Wow. She must be excited if she's this dazed."

Yuugi snapped out of her conversation with her possessor, raising on eyebrow. "Sorry, Jou." She smiled apologetically as she jogged toward them, slightly admiring the size and shape of the place. "It smells good," she added, grinning as the scent of fresh burgers filled her nostrils.

"Let's go inside—"

"Welcome to Burger World!"

The three students blinked in utter surprise at the strange, confusing sight before them. As the glass doors had slid open to greet them in an entirely amusing way, they were gifted with the presence of Anzu Mazaki, dressed head to toe in a color-matching uniform with skates strapped to her shoes.

The athletic woman had momentarily paled at the sight of them, instantly straightening and letting her left eye twitch in reaction to their clearly unwanted presence.

Yuugi's eyes had widened to the size of dinner saucers. "Anzu…?"


	5. Chapter Five

**OBSIDIAN**

* * *

><p><em><span>Chapter Five <span>_

* * *

><p><em>Damn girl…<em>She was stubborn. She disobeyed him—no, she _ignored _his commands so simply, with just a flick of her head and a defiant choice of refusal. She approached the fast food restaurant, hoping to enjoy an afternoon with her classmates; the Spirit of the Puzzle was not amused in the slightest. _Hmph. It will be difficult trying to warn her in the future if she continues to act like this. _

He wanted to snort and criticize this about the petite girl, but he couldn't bring himself to. He loved everything about her, adored each aspect of his Light and wanted nothing more than to just cherish her personality and what he envisioned as beauty. Her temperament annoyed him and attracted him simultaneously, and this was the most frustrating part of it all. How could he learn to control her and point her away from danger? How could he keep her safe if he almost encouraged this behavior?

"No," he growled lowly to himself. "She is intelligent. Yuugi will know what to do. She won't disobey me again." He was still unsure, however. She was comfortable with him enough to actually disagree with him at this point, and that made him glad. But at the same time, this could be very dangerous.

Yami rolled his shoulders, keeping his arms firmly crossed over his chest. The cold, dry walls of the current room he was in didn't raise gooseflesh or prompt his fear to prickle. He was still inhuman in a way—immune to such mortal reactions. He enjoyed being wrapped in the cold and observing death pass by him, but only if the victim was someone who would harm his miniature world of darkness. The Shadows would question his methods; some of the shapeless monsters even dared to ask him about his Light.

He would be too insulted to reply. They said she was a terrible influence, a mark on his deepening insanity, and that he would only crumble if she were in danger. No, he could protect her. She, herself, was strong in her own way. She learned to adapt to different environments, and she held trust in people that were arguably stronger than most. Though the Spirit would argue that he could break Jounouchi Katsuya's neck in a second.

He really, really _hated _that blonde boy. That dog. Jounouchi was so comfortable around _his _Yuugi, and Yami did not like it in the slightest. Only he was allowed to grace his Light's presence and lavish her with attention that she truly deserved. A mere mortal was not deserving of her tender naivety and honest trust. She never lied about her friendships; she was probably more dedicated to each of their bonds than any of them combined.

He wished she didn't hold so much trust in these weaklings… particularly Mazaki.

Tapping his fingers impatiently against the stone arms of his chair, the Spirit watched from his lair. He wanted to be sure that his Light was safe. He would not take his eyes off of the mortal world at this moment in time.

* * *

><p>"W-What are <em>you guys <em>doing here?"

Yuugi blinked, perplexed. She, Jounouchi Katsuya and Hiroto Honda approached Burger World in hopes of having a nice afternoon together, with the disappointment of Anzu not joining them. But the sight of the flattering uniform and the inexpensive skates immediately clicked in Yuugi's pondering brain.

"Anzu! You can't have a job!" She frowned. "It's against school policy!"

Her friend's face flushed. "Yuugi, keep _quiet_. Goodness…" She pressed her fingers to her lips, mumbling something inaudible and gesturing inside with a flick of her head. "Um, so, let's try this again. You don't know me, I don't know you. Understand?" She scowled as she noticed Jounouchi's features twitching and struggling not to burst into laughter. "What's "so funny? I'm trying to save my ass because _you three _came when I told you not to!"

Honda rolled his eyes. "Relax, Anzu. We just came for a burger!"

"I know that. Why else would you come here?" Anzu growled. "Listen, you can come inside. My boss will be angry if I just kick out random customers. But act like you don't know me. If he knows about our school policy I am so _fired_." Her teeth were grinding, her hands rising to adjust her hat (which seemed to tip over during her rant).

The other three Domino High students simply shrugged and agreed to Anzu's conditions. They followed her inside the colorful, plastic-coated building. Yuugi slightly smiled as she took notice of several peaceful families enjoying a small lunch together, and instantly memories of her grandfather taking her to restaurants on special occasions flickered in her mind. She would be so happy and thankful that her guardian would want to take her to such expensive places, and she was so young and innocent.

Her youth changed, but not her innocence. There were still moments during a casual day at school where a perverted joke would slip over her head. She couldn't care less if she know about them or not, but she wasn't going to pretend to be a complete airhead.

There were many waiters and waitresses dressed in matching attire, skating across red-and-white tiled floors and passing out food to eager customers. Yuugi felt the Spirit stir uncomfortably in the Millennium Puzzle, and already she was worried since he didn't even bother to say a word once they entered the building.

_Yami?_

A pause. Yuugi bit her lip.

_Are you mad at me?_

_**Aibou. Glad you decided to respond. **_He did not sound pleased. Sighing and resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Yuugi took a seat beside Jounouchi and across from Honda in one of the booths. The stench of grease and salt entered her nostrils, but she was too hungry to care.

_You can't just keep me from being with my friends. You of all… um, people, I guess, should know that this is important to me._

_**Yuugi, I am only concerned for your safety. I remained quiet because I was observing this… odd, place that you've decided to be a part of. I don't like it. **_

The Mutou girl smiled. _Why don't you like it? _She then frowned, her deep violet eyes suddenly holding too much concern to spread to one person. _How can you even tell where I am? You sound like you're still in the puzzle._

_**I am, my Light. Don't worry about me. Worry about yourself.**_ His tone was still aggravated, but his genuine worry for her safety made her stomach flip-flop. How he had this affect on her, she wasn't sure.

"Hey, Yuug'?" Yuugi snapped out of her conversation with Yami. She turned to Jounouchi with adorably widened eyes, taking the blonde off-guard and nearly causing him to blush. Quickly controlling himself, he put on a teasing smirk and ruffled the top of her head. "Yuugi, what are you getting to drink? You've been starin' at da menu like a weirdo."

Yuugi's pale face flushed in embarrassment. She smiled apologetically at the waiter, who simply nodded and chuckled in amusement at the girl's antics. She mumbled a simple order of ice water, watching as the uniformed man, probably no older than twenty, skated away from their table.

The Spirit's voice returned, sounding far more irritated than before. _**Why are you sitting so close to that man? **_The demand was so sharp and out of the blue that Yuugi's fingers curled into her palms. She didn't want to verbally react with her friends around her like this.

_He's my friend, Yami. _

_**He is far too comfortable around you, my Light. How can you not see it? **_

_Yami… _Yuugi frowned. Jounouchi thought of her as a friend and only a friend. She knew that. Ever since she became friends with the blonde she knew that he would never be interested in her appearance, and would someday find a girlfriend of his own if he so desired. Shrugging her shoulders, Yuugi closed her menu. _Why are you so worried about this? You know Jou only likes me as a friend. _

_**Oh, Aibou. **_The Spirit sounded like he was chuckling. _**You are far too… innocent, for your own good. Hmph. No matter. I will try to forget about it for now. **_

Yuugi blinked in surprise. _You're actually going to let me have a nice lunch with my friends in peace? That's new for you. _She wanted to at least make him less uptight and get him to warm up to her friends' company, but then something clicked in her mind.

Was the Spirit worried because she was currently the only girl in Jounouchi and Honda's company? She would have to remind the Spirit later that he was paranoid for her sake… it flattered her and it reminded her of how he actually cared, but he was still dangerous. If Yami was anywhere close to the real world, anywhere close to Jounouchi and Honda… she didn't know what would happen.

"Hey, guys." Yuugi turned her attention to Anzu Mazaki, who looked far less pleased than she would normally look during school hours. The girl's eyes were narrowed and fierce, almost threatening as she held a pad of paper and a pen, clearly taking the other waiter's place. "I'm supposed to take your order for this afternoon."

Honda snickered. "Wow, this is killing you…"

Anzu hissed. "Shut it!" She cleared her throat, putting on a fake and absolutely terrifying smile. "Okay, now our special for today is a double cheeseburger with our special Burger World Secret Sauce. It's an extra ten yen for pickles and onions."

Jounouchi and Honda eyed each other and nodded. "Two triple cheeseburgers. With extra fries."

Anzu groaned. "Okay, okay. What about you, Miss?" She smiled kindly toward Yuugi, who seemed more than troubled on what to pick from this outrageous menu. To her, there was little variety. There were so many combinations of burgers and fries that it was hard to find anything healthy.

"Um… I'll have a salad, please." Yuugi grinned softly as she handed Anzu the menus.

"Right, your order will be here in a few minutes. Keep the number tag on your table so that we can recognize which order you are." Anzu dipped her head and, with a brief glare toward Jounouchi and Honda, skated to a different part of the restaurant.

"Sheesh. I thought she was gonna kill me for a sec!" Jounouchi grumbled, tapping his fingers against the table.

"She doesn't want to lose her job, Jou," Yuugi replied.

"Yeah, but still."

* * *

><p>By the gods, nothing was more frustrating than trying to piece a world that wasn't your own together.<p>

There were too many possibilities as to why he was so concerned about this place, and to how it would affect the well being of his Light. Yami rubbed his temples, a low growl emitting from his throat as he cast his attention to the portal embedded in the stone ceiling, allowing him to glimpse every detail of his Aibou's world. She would be oblivious to his knowledge of her surroundings until he would mention it. Normally, he would keep to himself and simply not tell. She didn't need to know everything about him yet, not until she completely trusted him. He wanted her to be safe and, in order for that to happen, sacrifices needed to be made.

These friends, eventually, would become the death of her unless she was pulled away from them. He did not want to break her heart, but their own minds were swallowed in perpetual venom and selfish desires. Yuugi Mutou was anything but selfish; no, she was the embodiment of purity and selflessness. She made others smile and cherished anyone's company. How could anyone want someone like her to suffer?

Yami snarled lowly, his fingers itching to grasp a mortal and rip apart flesh. He needed to harm something. Kill something. He needed to mend someone's mind into the Shadows and watch them burn! So many needed to suffer if they would dare touch one hair upon his Yuugi's head. She didn't deserve any torture.

He predicted—no, he was absolutely _positive _that these pathetic mortals were going to harm his Yuugi one day. They were going to tear out her heart and manipulate it, watch her as she squirmed in their grasp. And he would be the only one to save her. How could he let this happen? How could he let this go so far? He had the power to stop these friendships from happening. He could have forged a soul from the Shadows, used it as a scapegoat for Yuugi's sake.

He had fallen so deeply in love with her eyes and the purity of her soul. How could he let such trivial things affect him? He was stronger than that. He needed to expose the power he knew he possessed, to save his Yuugi from an eternal demise that was more or less inevitable.

_How could I have let this happen? These weaklings will lead her to her death! No, no, I cannot think that way. I must save my Light. _

But she loved them. It was only a matter of days since she forged friendships with them, and she loved every one of them. It was matter of sacrifice on both ends. He didn't want to break his Aibou's heart, but her life was more important than a brief dose of hatred. She would despise him for several days, but he would not care. He wanted her to be happy in _his _arms, shedding tears for _his _cause, wanting to be held in _his _waiting arms.

He closed his eyes, speaking briefly with the twirling pillars of darkness. They entered his Soul Room on occasion, prodding his mind with useless questions that he could never answer. With his mind clouded with the image of long, tricolored air and impossibly beautiful purple-blue eyes, he started to wonder. What would be the best method of helping her? Getting rid of her useless, damaging "friends"?

"Spirit," one of the cursed Shadows whispered. Yami snapped his attention to the dark swirl with narrowed eyes. "We sense something… quite odd, from the mortal world. Something that could disturb your Light."

"Then how do I not know of this?" Yami demanded coldly. "Tell me where the source is!"

"We cannot identify where the black essence is coming from. But we do know that your Light will be in grave danger if you simply lie back and wait. If you do not act soon, Spirit, her mortal blood could be spilled over these very floors."

Yami's fists clenched. "Find who it is. I will destroy them."

"As you wish."

The angered Spirit of the Puzzle buried his face into his hands, a growl rumbling in his throat. His powers were not weakening; he had all of the means necessary to destroy anything he would need to disappear, and all of the ideas needed to corrupt the unforgiving minds. There were those who tortured his Yuugi that never seemed to obey the consequences of harming an angel. He wanted to see her happy. Smiling. When was it going to be genuine? When would she smile around him?

Yami's teeth clenched, and panic shot through his soul as his Aibou's voice echoed through the dark chasms.

"_Get down!"_

"Aibou!" Yami growled. What was happening in her world? The message was completely unintentional. She wasn't talking to him.

"_Jou! Honda!"_

* * *

><p>It happened so fast.<p>

Gunshots blazed through the crumbling barriers of the restaurant, forcing guests to their knees, as tears of fear would spill from their heavy eyes. Someone attempted to call the police and was immediately murdered on the spot, their blood soaking through their daytime clothes. Glass windows shattered on impact from the brutal weapon in the committer's hands, his narrowed eyes large and filled with malicious hatred. He would make his victims pay. These were his goals.

Yuugi was shoved to the floor alongside the others, the expression on Jounouchi's face showing utter horror and disbelief. However, he was more than willing to counter this offensive monster if it was the last thing he would ever do. The blonde's face was marred with several scratches and fast-growing bruises, frustration causing his teeth to grind as the convict stepped on his spine, forcing him further into the ground.

"Don't move, Blondie." The killer snorted, spitting onto one of the nearby tables. He was a tall and muscular man, dressed in a long-sleeved, lime-green shirt. His short spiked hair was dyed a pale purple color, the dark hatred in his gaze rivaling the hunger in a dog's. His massive fists, like two football gloves, were grasped around two loaded guns. He chuckled, slipping one onto the belt of his pants as he reached for a cigarette. Pocketing the other weapon, he lit the item clasped between his lips with a huge smile on his narrowed face. "Wow. What a dump."

"You won't get away with this!" Anzu shrieked, her voice escalating far above the others'. Yuugi felt the color drain from her face, horror and shock embedded in her deep purple eyes.

_Anzu! What are you doing?_

The convict frowned, glaring over his sea of hostages with a deep chuckle escaping his throat. "Heh. Well, if it isn't one of those fancy-skatin' waitresses. Not bad looking, either." Anzu squeaked as he grabbed her by the back of her hair, hauling her to her feet. He dragged her to the nearest table, tearing off several pieces of his own shirt to wrap around her ankles, wrists and eyes. He laughed at how surprised most of the onlookers appeared.

"What? Were you expecting that wannabe criminal Tasaki?" The massive, intricately detailed spider-shaped tattoo on his back confirmed their suspicions. There were numerous questions circulating through Jounouchi's head about who this person could be, and immediately he wondered if it was the clumsy thief Tetsu Tasaki. However, Tasaki never had such a strange marking on his back.

Yuugi felt her fingernails dig into the floor beneath her. _Anzu's in trouble! What am I going to do? If I call to Yami, everyone will see him and suspect him too. No, I can't think of that right now. Anzu could die and it would be all my fault. _

"Hey, Spikes!" The criminal growled, grabbing Yuugi's attention. He snickered, using one hand to point his gun toward her. She was close to the table he was occupying with Anzu in his other arm, and at this moment, the Mutou knew she had no choice. "Get up. Go get me some drinks; some vodka and beer. If you don't have it, I'll shoot." He snickered as Yuugi cautiously stood up, her fists clenching. "Got a problem with that?"

Anzu gulped. "Yuugi…"

Jounouchi snarled. "Yuugi, don't do it. He'll shoot you anyway!"

Yuugi winced at the thought, but she needed to remain calm. She needed to protect her friends, even if she knew she could never take on this insane criminal head-on. He was practically pulsing with strength and the want for bloodshed.

"Make it snappy, Shrimp," the imposter growled out. "Or I'll shoot your friend, too. It'll be a joy to see her brains paint the ceiling." His laugh echoed through the restaurant, yet Yuugi obliged. She didn't want to risk Anzu's life, even for the sake of her own.

Once she returned with a silver tray topped with a glass bottle and several cups, she winced as the criminal took the tray and slammed it onto the table. He glared toward her, the venom in his eyes shocking on impact. Yuugi found her throat tighten at such a glance, her heart rapidly pounding against her chest.

"Sit down," he demanded.

She managed to let words spill out of her mouth; words she should have kept in her mind and locked away. "Will you hurt her?"

The criminal smirked, his other hand tightening around Anzu. The brunette slightly whimpered at this, clear fear present on her features. Yuugi could practically see the tears dampening her blindfold.

"Your choice, Shrimp," the outlaw continued, slowly moving his gun in her direction. "Sit down, you brat, before I cap one in your other friends' skulls." He gestured with a flick of his head toward Jounouchi, next to a near unconscious and heavily bruised Honda. Jounouchi was not breaking eye contact with her, sending a clear message that vied for her safety and demanded that she not listen to this villain.

Yuugi hesitated, yet slipped into the booth, keeping her head down.

"Heh, if you really want to know, Shrimp, my name's Jiro; Jiro the Jorogumo." He chuckled through gritted teeth, keeping his gun pointed toward Yuugi if she attempted to move. "Yeah, I took that Tasaki bastard's name and used it to my advantage. It's not like I wasn't smart with it. People thought he escaped… but they were wrong. Wrong criminal, at least." He smirked at the unimpressed, sharp look in the teenager's gaze. "Huh. You're a determined small-fry, aren't you?"

"Why are you doing this?" Yuugi growled out.

Jiro blinked. This girl was almost begging for a death wish! What a fool. "Why? _Why_? Well, Shrimp, there's never a _reason _for someone to kill. Except, of course, for just the pleasure of killing. I'm sure you understand."

Anzu shook in his arms. "Please…"

"Shut up!" Jiro roughly smacked her across the face with the butt of his gun, a look of surprise and rage flooding Yuugi's dark eyes.

She shook her head, her fingers gripping the edge of the table. She needed to do something.

"You better keep your mouth shut, you bitch, or I'll cut you in half and shoot your guts to the walls!" How dare this stupid woman even try to speak up in her situation? There was nothing she could do about her current state. Nothing.

Jiro turned with a mockingly wide smile toward what he hoped to be the tiny girl from before. He blinked, confusion appearing on his features as he flipped the gun repeatedly in his hands. He chuckled in amusement, raising one crooked eyebrow.

"Is this some sort of joke?" Jiro the Jorogumo demanded. In front of him was a taller _man _that shared slight resemblance with the girl from before. Where the hell did the girl disappear? She was sitting right there, across from him like some obedient little puppy. This man… no, he was clearly someone else, with sharper, more mature features and wild crimson eyes that resembled the shade of newly shed blood.

"You seem surprised," the stranger muttered, sadism dripping from each word like the venom from a snake's fangs.

Jiro snorted. "Yeah, well, your bitch escaped. Whatever. She won't call the cops."

Yami snorted, a protective snarl rising in his throat. How dare this disgusting piece of trash insult his beloved? She was resting soundly in the deep confines of her private Soul Room, her mind locked and shielded from what he would see from now on. He came in at the opportune time, and managed to convince this cretin that Yuugi escaped and he took her place. Jiro the Jorogumo wasn't the smartest outlaw in Japan, it seemed.

"If you've noticed, we're not even in the same… restaurant, you could say." He had his arms crossed, one leg kicked over the other with a crooked smile overtaking his lips. He was going to have great joy in tearing this man apart and watching him suffer.

Jiro blinked, panic surfacing. The entire room had been replaced by the interior of what appeared to be the same restaurant, though no one was in sight. All of his hostages, bruised and battered, were no longer visibly scattered across the floors and holding the same masks of fear on their faces. Not even the blindfolded woman was in his arms.

The glass windows looked completely untouched, yet the outside was pitch black. The sky, the sidewalk… it all disappeared. Something was wrong, but Jiro was not going to question it.

The only thing normal from the alternative restaurant was the silver tray, with the one bottle of vodka and the two paper cups.

"We are going to play a game, Jorogumo," Yami declared, his voice carrying a sharp echo through the copy of Burger World.

The criminal stiffened. "Y-Yeah, well, I'm not afraid of ya, you bastard. Bring it on." He snorted, the gun shaking visibly in his quivering hands. "Give me your best shot!"

"Patience," Yami muttered, crimson eyes flashing. "You must learn the rules before we play the game. But you probably won't like the game we play, you sick criminal."

"Hey, pal, I still gotta gun and I can shoot the living shit out of you! Just tell me what the hell your game is." Jiro raked his hands through his hair. He turned to his empty paper cup and smirked, gradually taking the bottle of alcohol and pouring to his heart's content. He pulled out another cigarette and his lighter. "Heh. State your rules, punk."

The Spirit of the Puzzle kept his arms folded across his chest. He would make this disastrous fiend suffer for his actions. "It is called a Shadow Game. A Game of Darkness, if you will. You may only use one finger in order to kill the person opposite of you. In your case, your target would clearly be me. My target: you."

Jiro smirked, twirling his gun confidently. "Well, that's easy. I'll just use my trigger finger." He laughed, gesturing with a flick of his head toward his wiggling index finger. He was far too arrogant to fully understand the consequences of a Game of Darkness.

"Very well," Yami replied. "I pick my right thumb."

"Fine by me!" Jiro snickered. Yami could see the delusion flickering in his target's glazed eyes; he believed he was going to win. That was exactly what he wanted Jiro the Jorogumo to think. The convict was truly overrated by human standards.

"After the game starts, you can do anything you desire with your chosen finger. Even pull the trigger." The idea was tempting.

"Fine, fine. Are we starting or what?" This man was absolutely foolish and endlessly greedy. He would do anything to massacre an innocent soul and practically roll in their dropped goods and blood. Yami knew that, if there was a chance he would fail, that the con of a man would raid the real restaurant and maybe… maybe even try to kill his beloved Yuugi. His Aibou. No, no—he could not let that happen. The very thought almost drained him of sanity.

"Yes, we can begin," the Spirit declared in a low tone.

Jiro laughed, immediately raising his gun and preparing to shoot, the untouched cigarette hanging between his teeth. "You're gonna die, you bastard!"

"Wait," Yami interrupted, holding up the lighter that Jiro nearly forgot about. The criminal blinked owlishly at the presence of the small device, and Yami's right thumb ready to press the switch and release tiny flickering flames. "I would think that you would want a lit cigarette during your victory."

Jiro snorted, yet dipped his head. "Fine. You're just going to die, anyway, you weirdo." The Spirit of the Puzzle was completely unfazed, reaching forward with the lighter and igniting the tip of his cigarette. However, a swift slipping action of his fingers caused the device to slowly stumble and land perfectly on the man's arm—the exact arm holding the emptying bottle of vodka.

"Now, Jiro… take a good look at your situation," Yami muttered. Jiro growled and followed his gaze toward his lap, blinking in surprise at noticing that he had held the bottle for too long. The liquid was overflowing the cup and completely drenching his clothes. How could he have been so distracted?

"Yeah, so?" Jiro growled.

"What you're pouring is standard Russian vodka. It holds a rather high percentage of alcohol, ranging within the high nineties. I would think that you would be more careful when your life was concerned." Yami shook his head, smirking crookedly. "You see, if you shoot me anyway, the impact will force your other arm to shake and cause the lighter to fall onto your clothes and ignite. You will be a walking corpse, consumed in flames." Yami's pupils seemed to dilate—or was it an illusion? "What a terrible fate."

"S-Screw you!" Jiro snarled.

"Since I've won, I think I will leave now." Yuugi started to stand up.

"Oh no you don't!" Jiro snarled, briefly dropping his gun and grabbing the lighter, tossing it to the other side of the alternative Burger World restaurant, rage thick in his voice. "I'll kill you and take all your money, you sick son of a bitch!" He darted from his booth, quickly bringing up his gun.

Yami glanced over his shoulder, unimpressed. "You broke the rules."

Suddenly, Jiro's gun vanished, and he was enraptured in a tornado of flames. He screeched and screamed from the endless pain and agony, crawling on the tarnished floors. Yami growled, his teeth slowly clenching in dark amusement at his newest victim's suffering.

"The Shadows will make a good meal of you, you foul monster."

* * *

><p>After the mysterious criminal nearly destroyed the entire Burger World restaurant, the police were called and they quickly barred the building from any entry from customers or hired employees for several weeks. Jiro the Jorogumo was arrested, found crawling on his hands and knees, begging for mercy while claiming to be engulfed in flames, his mind almost completely destroyed and wiped.<p>

Anzu examined the dark bruises and cuts on Jounouchi's features, frowning. "Jou, you didn't actually try to fight that creep, did you?" She knew very well that he didn't even raise his voice after Yuugi was put at gunpoint, though she did not want to make her blonde friend uncomfortable. He was already troubled enough, practically buried in the possibilities of what could have happened if they weren't careful.

"He was very brave, Anzu," Yuugi whispered. She smiled softly to herself as she caressed the Eye of Anubis engraved into her precious treasure's surface. _Thank you, Yami. _

_**I should have killed him, my Light. He was very deserving of it. To be killed by my own hands. **_He paused in his anger, a subtle softness entering his trail of response. _**My Light, I would give up every world for you. You are brave, Aibou, but you can be foolish. Do not do this again. It will worry me. **_

_I didn't expect a criminal to come into the restaurant. _The Mutou girl pondered over this, still feeling eternally grateful that the Spirit managed to refrain from killing the man. She was far more merciful than the soul that inhabited her Millennium Puzzle, but that was no excuse. He nearly destroyed Ushio and she knew it; she was proud that he did not kill the man that definitely would be killed anyway once placed in prison, or a psychiatric ward. _You did the right thing._

_**Right and wrong don't apply to me, Aibou. I don't live in your world, so those petty laws don't restrict my actions. I heard your heart and your demands in your subconscious, my Light. I could not disappoint you. Of course, this man was very lucky. Very, very lucky. **_

Was he trying to warn her about the future? No, these things definitely did not happen often. He could be reassuring her, telling her that he would never let these things harm her. He was a caring soul that was greatly, _greatly _possessive of her and wanted to keep her happy. She respected that and wanted to be his friend in return, but this type of situation was rare and probably wouldn't happen for… actually, it would most likely never occur again.

_I don't understand why you're so worried. _She shrugged absentmindedly, earning a confused glance from Honda. _I trust you though, Yami._

Words could not describe the delight spreading through the Spirit's dark heart. _**I would protect you even if you held no trust in me, Aibou. **_He hesitated for several moments, trying to find the right words. _**I hope that I can meet you in your world. Once I gain enough power, my Yuugi, I will be able to see your breathtaking beauty in your universe. It will be… perfect.**_

Yuugi's cheeks reddened at the idea. She knew very well that Yami was a handsome man, nonetheless intimidating. It would not surprise her if the overprotective man wanted to shelter his host and please her. It was somewhat strange, but she knew that he meant well.

He was insane. But he would never hurt her.

Right?


	6. Chapter Six

**OBSIDIAN**

* * *

><p><span><em>Chapter Six<em>

* * *

><p>Four months had passed since Jiro the Jorogumo ambushed Burger World and held Anzu Mazaki hostage. The memory still rested in Domino City like a lingering plague, and wandering pedestrians rarely talked about the even in fear of remembering the stark details. The terrifying story was flashed onto news broadcasts, carrying the information across Japan in the fastest manner possible.<p>

The fact that he was completely and utterly broken on the inside led many to believe that someone had hypnotized him before the restaurant was liberated. Psychiatrists and hypnotists were questioned by the police and asked to investigate, but after a solid month the experts were losing interest in the already-searched case. What mattered in the end was that the monstrous criminal was imprisoned, mentally dispatched, and would not pose a threat to anyone for a long, long time.

"Alright class, please settle down!"

Yuugi's head jerked up from her desk, blonde bangs tousled and thrown about her porcelain features like pale whips. She glanced around the classroom, a hot blush painting her neck and ears at the attention suddenly diverted towards her. Several students snickered at her, but she tried to keep her head low.

"Don't worry about them, Yuug'," Jounouchi whispered, winking. "They're just jealous dat they couldn't sleep at all. You just hid it better."

Yuugi groaned, rubbing her temples. "I still missed the entire lesson." She groaned and rested her chin in the palms of her hands. "Glad Mr. Abernathy didn't notice, though…"

Mr. Abernathy—the Domino High School English teacher—fixed his attention to the stretch of blackboard behind him and started scribbling down instructions in chalk. The scraping of the material against the board sent uncomfortable shivers down Yuugi's spine.

Instinctively, her fingers reached over to touch the Puzzle.

_**This is incredibly boring.**_

Yuugi rolled her eyes but smiled. Yami hated it when she actually tried paying attention in class—it usually meant he had to pay attention as well, just to make sure that she was acquiring all of the information. Oddly enough, he wanted her to be successful in her classes because of how important it was to her, but in the end she knew that his intentions were selfish.

He just wanted her to pay attention and finish quickly so that she could turn to him.

_English is the worst_, Yuugi replied, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She stared at the instructions on the board and opened another section of her spiral notebook. Jounouchi, beside her, simply reclined in his chair and popped a stick of bubblegum in his mouth.

_**What is the purpose of learning this nonsense? It's not as if you're going to the… what is it called? The "United States".**_

_It's important for my education. I have to take this class._

_**Why are you forced to? There is no logic in this whatsoever.**_

Yuugi released a heavy sigh. It was almost impossible to reason with the Spirit at times, and at this moment she knew that engaging in a conversation with him when he was like this was going to end in… well, nothing, really. They would just return to how they were before, and Yuugi would try her best to ignore the curious and oftentimes overprotective tone of the Puzzle.

_**I'm sworn to protect you, Aibou. **_He almost sounded offended.

Yuugi frowned, sending a link of comfort and apology through the Puzzle. The last thing she wanted was for the Spirit to feel unwanted or unappreciated.

She loved how much he wanted to protect her. He was strangely quite possessive, though, and was still very hostile towards her friends (particularly Jounouchi) and she would never be able to detect just why he was so irritated with them. He felt threatened in the presence of her close friend Anzu, and he _despised _Jounouchi Katsuya to no end. She didn't understand why.

_I need to pay attention to the teacher, okay, Yami?_

She heard him sigh in response, but his voice retreated back into the Puzzle without another word of protest.

The remaining thirty minutes was exhausting for Yuugi, and more than anything she wanted to bolt from her chair and dash out of the room, just to avoid the atmosphere of the dreaded English classroom.

"Hey, Yuugi!" Honda called from one of the separated tables.

Yuugi, surprised that her name was called at all, glanced over her shoulder and towards the small group that had gathered around his desk. Piles of familiar cards were splayed across a makeshift grid, and instantly Yuugi's heart and mind fluttered with interest and a sudden urge to participate.

She had her cards with her.

Yami observed her curiously, wondering exactly why she would be so excited about something as trivial as cards.

"Say, you good at _Duel Monsters_, Mutou?" one of the students questioned, his eyes raking the girl head to toe as if in a purely judgmental manner. Bristling, Yuugi felt her fingers curl into her palms as she snatched a box from her shoulder bag. She walked over to the group and gradually sat down, trying to ignore the growing burn of embarrassment traveling under her skin.

She fixed Honda with a lopsided smile as she pulled several cards out. "I love this game, actually." She addressed the curious stares with a small, much more realistic, smile. She tilted her head to the side in concentration as she brought out her own deck and shuffled.

_**What is this game you're playing, Aibou?**_

Yuugi pondered. _It's just a card game. My grandfather's store holds a lot of these cards in stock, and I know for a fact that you've seen some of them before from within the Puzzle._

The Spirit wondered about this, and recalled the strange pictures engraved onto the cards that resembled thousands of different images. He remembered seeing monsters of all kinds, ranging from forest ogres to witches, goblins and even several dragons. The game was unpredictable and he didn't understand the rules, but he was positive that his Light knew the game very well, just with how confidently she approached it and the fact that she carried a deck with her.

"This game was really popular when I was little," Yuugi began, staring at the skeptics with sparkling eyes. "It was my favorite for a long time. My grandfather owns so many rare cards in his game shop, and just from that environment I've learned to love this game. It's getting really popular again, though."

Honda grinned, pounding his chest proudly. "Well, yeah. _Duel Monsters _is, well, all the rage!"

Yuugi blinked at him quizzically. "You play?"

"… Sure!"

Yuugi frowned. "Okay. Well, we should play sometime." She smiled. The gesture was so innocent, so sweet, and so unintentionally desirable. Several men around the table that had originally envisioned her as the dork who sat in the back of the classroom changed their image of her completely—her smile was contagious, infectious, and adorable.

Yami bristled. His Light was shedding her skin of shyness and contempt. She was starting to bloom, and originally he would be so proud of her for breaking out of her comfort zone, for sharing her insights with others and partaking in actions that would have previously been deemed as unnecessary. But at the moment… he hated the attention she was getting.

_**Show them how to play, Aibou. **_He needed to get her to focus on her instructions so that she would just stop smiling… it was so difficult to keep her image from growing like this. Now the men were going to pursue her—he was absolutely positive now.

"Wow, Yuugi, I didn't know you knew all of this, um, random crap about card games." One of the students grinned in impressment, flashing irritatingly white teeth. Yuugi blushed under the stare, but grinned bashfully and rubbed her neck in response.

Yami's blood boiled.

_**Hmph.**_

"My grandfather knows a lot more about it than I do. He told me once that the origins of the card game came from his exhibition in Egypt."

She remembered how Sugoroku would tell her the tales of an ancient, power-hungry pharaoh and his lust for the monstrous game, carved into stones and portraying monsters that were bound by magic. The animals and spells would destroy each other and kill the opponents as well, making the game all the more dangerous.

"Well, it sounds kinda messed up," Honda quipped. "I mean, what's the point of the game? Is it like chess? Checkers?"

Yuugi thought about this. "You have to use your head in some situations, but it's not mind-bending or anything. It's just a fun game."

"Just a fun game. Right."

The statement was cold, straightforward and outright smooth. Yuugi turned around to stare at the entrance to the room, where a completely new student stood with one hand confidently smothered in his white uniform pocket, while the other held onto a thick black briefcase.

His posture was straight and his regal, sloping features made it quite clear that he loved to display authority. From staring into his eyes and reading just how invested he was in the current conversation, Yuugi could tell that passion lied somewhere behind that cold façade. There was a lot to him just from the outward examination, but the man himself was someone none of them had ever seen before.

"Ah, yes, I haven't introduced myself yet." He approached them; confidence spilled into his every stride. Honda blinked and lost a huge amount of self-esteem just from glancing over the man's facial features, and at this moment he would lose whatever argument he could start.

_**Who is he?**_

Yami blinked owlishly. _I don't know. _She blinked as the man gradually took one of her hands and shook it, the action quite unexpected and causing her skin to heat up. She felt her Puzzle vibrate and emit a painful extortion of heat—the gold would have blistered her fingers if she touched it. She could feel the rage of the Spirit seeping through her layers of clothing.

_Not now, Yami. Please. He's just greeting me. _

She heard him growl, but he said nothing. He was _furious_.

"My name is Seto Kaiba," the new student announced, the words slick and smooth like the clothes he was wearing. He dipped his head toward Yuugi with an interesting smirk settled across his lips. "I see that you're in-tune with your knowledge for _Duel Monsters_."

Jounouchi bristled from beside Honda. He fixed this _Kaiba _character with an angered, solid glare. There was something about him that triggered his brotherly instincts for the tiny girl, and at that moment he did not want Seto Kaiba around Yuugi. He couldn't explain it, but from hearing his voice, examining his attire and watching the way he walked… he was not a good person. He couldn't explain it, but he just knew that he wasn't.

Yuugi smiled, ignoring the heated glares Jounouchi was sending Seto as she gathered her cards and stood up. The other students who had watched her before were letting their jaws slack in awe and bewilderment.

"T-That's _the _Seto Kaiba!" one of them whispered urgently to the other.

"Yeah! He's an heir to a huge corporation! You know, after his surname. Kaiba Corporation… why do you think he's here?"

Jounouchi growled. "Whatever. Just a spoiled bastard."

Seto turned to him with hardened, narrowed eyes. The intensity in such an authoritative stare would have rendered anyone else speechless.

But Jounouchi was not _anyone else_.

Seto shrugged his shoulders and turned back to Yuugi, the slick grin returning. "So, I see that you have a great passion or _Duel Monsters_. Something about a game shop?"

Yuugi blinked. "Yes. I live with my grandfather in his game shop. Kame Game Shop, just a few blocks away." She shook her head, piling her cards together and stuffing the cartridge into her shoulder bag. "I'm sure my grandpa would want to meet you." She smiled gently.

Yami growled at this. _**I don't think that is a good idea, Aibou. **_

Yuugi masked her irritation with the Spirit as Seto Kaiba introduced himself to the other students. In a matter of minutes he convinced several of them that the rumors were indeed true and that he was the heir to a multimillion-dollar corporation. His surname was familiar… Kaiba Corporation? It was a famous organization that Yuugi was positive she'd glimpsed over in the local newspaper.

_Are you just against the idea of meeting new people? _She hadn't meant for the comment to seem so negative, but the Spirit of the Puzzle loved striking up arguments with her.

He was hostile towards her friends—it would make sense if he just wanted to keep her for himself. Why, she wasn't sure, but there had to be an explanation as to why he always growled and snarled and hissed when someone approached her actually tried to be her friend. It was a rare instance, and ever since she earned the respect and friendship of Jounouchi Katsuya and Honda Hiroto, she believed that nothing could ever look brighter. She couldn't have asked for better friends.

But even then, having common courtesy on school grounds was not too much to ask for.

_**I sense something disturbed within him. This Kaiba character could very well mean danger for you, my Light.**_

Yuugi sighed, rubbing her temples. _Just try to forget that he exists, then. _

This comment left a stinging surprise in the core of the Puzzle, but she chose not to apologize at the moment. He needed to let out some steam and having her talking to him was not going to help at the moment.

* * *

><p>The latest gossip chain concerned Seto Kaiba and his enrollment in Domino High School. His name popped up in the most random of conversations, and the student body would press themselves against the lockers just to watch him pass through. The clean-cut structure of his uniform, the way he carried himself, and the mysterious briefcase that he constantly kept beside him… it was unsettling, to see someone so powerful and influential stalk the halls of Domino High.<p>

Jounouchi flicked a ball of rice towards Honda, missing him by a hair.

"Shut up, asshole!"

"I'm just saying—"

"I'm _not jealous_." The pure venom in Jounouchi's voice shocked even Anzu as she gradually slipped between the angered males. She slammed her tray onto the table, the echo of metal against metal bouncing through the cafeteria.

"Just what are you bozos fighting about now?" She narrowed her eyes at them, folding her arms underneath her chest.

From across the table, Yuugi tried to remain outside of the conversation, her attention fixed on the cubes of Jell-O on her tray. She knew that if she interfered, the snapping and annoyance would be diverted to her, and that was the last thing she wanted.

Hearing about Seto Kaiba for the last several hours didn't help with her level of patience. She was just about ready to leave the school building if she saw another giggling girl or overheard a thread of gossip concerning his legendary company.

"Honda, the bastard, is sayin' that I'm jealous of Kaiba Priss!"

Honda snorted. "It was a _suggestion_. I mean, why wouldn't you? You always yell at him and growl at him when you feel like it. Sounds like jealousy to me… since he's got a truckload of money and you don't."

Yuugi frowned. "Honda—"

"Shut your hellhole mouth, Honda!" Jounouchi snarled, grabbing his tray and standing up. He glared at the others, yet his gaze softened once he addressed Yuugi and Anzu. "I'm gonna go and… just go somewhere. See ya later."

He stalked off, robbed of his pride.

Yuugi stared at Honda with widened eyes. "Why would you say those things to him? What did he do? Even if he was jealous, how is it any of your business?" She rarely said things like this. Normally she blended into the background, but with how much she had grown to care for her friends…

Hurting Jounouchi like that was unbelievable.

_**Aibou.**_

Her fingers lessened in pressure at hearing the Spirit's voice. He was trying to soothe her, and it was a gentle, welcoming contrast to how he was berating the others earlier. She clandestinely slipped her hand beneath the table and caressed the Eye, trying to let the Spirit know that nothing was wrong.

But the signals he was sending in return were filled with concern.

_Relax, Yami. Everything's okay._

_**You seem distressed. **_

She could practically feel the softness, the tender affection that he was trying so desperately to display through their Mind Link. It wasn't his fault that he was trapped inside the Puzzle and he could not show himself in front of her… in his own words, he told her he wasn't strong enough yet. He didn't have the power available to show himself to her in the human world.

"Well…" Anzu began, clapping her hands together. "At least all of us seem settled down now." She grinned. "Because, I have a great idea. After school, just to let off some steam, we should go visit the museum. They have some really cool exhibits to look at now."

Yuugi blinked. Exhibition? Maybe she would be able to convince Jounouchi to go with them. The longer he was away from Kaiba, the better. "That sounds great, Anzu." She grinned. "Do you know what the exhibit is?"

Honda frowned. "Whoa, whoa, whoa… museum? Why would we go to a museum?"

Anzu glared at him. "Just to lighten the mood." She rolled her eyes and grinned at Yuugi, eyes practically shining. "It's an Egyptian exhibit."

Yuugi beamed, and she felt her Puzzle react as well.

_That sounds interesting. Would you want to go to that, Spirit? _It wasn't as if Yami had a choice in the matter. She had the Puzzle with her at all times, and she knew that if she left it somewhere else or forgot it at home, the Spirit would be very unhappy with her.

_**It does sound… interesting. **_He sounded passive. _**I will do anything you want to do, Aibou, as long as you're concerning your safety. **_He was so protective of her. She was both flattered and annoyed with these personality traits, but she was glad that he seemed to care so much for her.

_I think it'll be great. _

* * *

><p>Seto Kaiba.<p>

That name chilled Yami's bones and set his spiritual essence on fire. There was something strangely supernatural about the title, with the way the boy walked, the way he talked to others, the way he _looked at his Aibou _as if she was a mere commoner beneath him…

It reminded him of himself.

Rubbing his temples, the Spirit pushed his back against his stone throne. The walls were more closed-in than usual, swirling clouds of Shadows bleeding throughout the room and intertwining into each other like thousands of serpents. They dwelled in the corridors of his Soul Room like lingering stalkers, and he was perfectly fine with that.

His Aibou was finally going to stay out of trouble. At least, to his knowledge. But having this new individual, this _Seto Kaiba _striding through the halls like a stork was infuriating and made him feel that Yuugi was still unsafe. The glint in the male's eyes had clearly let on much darker intentions than expected when he conversed with Yuugi.

He needed to teach her how to detect those individuals more easily. He would have laughed if he weren't concerned for her.

If only he was strong enough… if _only _he had the power of the Shadows to leave his Soul Room completely and see his Aibou in her world. He wanted her to see him, and he wanted to witness her entirely as well, not as a phantom lingering in her Soul Room when he tried to visit her.

It was unbearable for him.

"Shadows, come." Yami called, crimson eyes flashing. He propped his elbows on the armrests of his throne, keeping his attention fixated on the door far in front of him.

The snakes of darkness clouded around his throne, sweeping low and high around the powerful Spirit before they spoke in the same eerily shrieking tone.

"What is that you request?"

Yami's brow furrowed. "Show me where they're heading right now."

The Shadows released a collection of hisses and snickers of delight, before morphing together in order to provide the crystal vision of the outside world. He saw his Aibou, laughing alongside Anzu, walking in a comfortable group with that one man named Honda… strangely enough, the blonde one wasn't with them.

Jounouchi.

Yami's teeth ground at thinking about him. He unsettled him—he was far too comfortable around his Yuugi. She smiled, laughed, regarded him as _only a friend_.

_That message needs to come across more clearly. _

He buried his face into his hands. He kept his patience on par when dealing with her friends, especially with how much they meant to her. If he had the say in it, he would say that she only needed him.

He protected her. He sheltered her. He desired her more than anything—

"_So do you think they're going to have a real mummy on display? That would be so cool! Like, all gross and peeling…"_

It was just the idiot, Honda.

Yami watched the scene carefully. Yuugi, Honda and Anzu were heading towards the museum as discussed. His vision of the mortal world was lacking the detail he needed to be sure that they were safe.

More importantly, if Yuugi was safe.

That was all that mattered.

And even now, he knew something was amiss.


	7. Chapter Seven

**OBSIDIAN**

* * *

><p><span><em>~ Chapter Seven ~<em>

* * *

><p>On this particular day, the local history museum was adorned with numerous banners, colored periwinkle and gold to suit the time period that advertised the newest exhibit. Highly detailed photographs were plastered over the enormous pillars that supported the museum's hefty structure, and a short line of visitors were already gathering near the glass doors that served as the entrance. The headshot of a pharaoh's sarcophagus reminded Yuugi of the very puzzle she constantly kept hanging around her neck, and she companion that dwelled inside.<p>

Anzu stretched her arms above her head, breathing in the fresh afternoon air and enjoying the warm glow of the sun. The breeze was comfortable against the cloth of her school uniform, and her kind blue eyes were shining with interest. She turned to Yuugi Mutou, the other girl distracted by the advertising banners and the constant sensations flowing through her Millennium Puzzle.

"I'm excited to check this out." Anzu smirked and folded her arms across her chest. She turned to Jounouchi and Honda, who were too busy ogling the passing girls dressed in incredibly short hot pants. They were even slightly drooling… Anzu sighed, rolling her eyes and turning back to Yuugi, since the distracted girl didn't respond.

The Mutou girl removed her hands from her puzzle and smoothed down her long, spiked hair. She glanced over the banners one last time before allowing a smile to bloom upon her lips. "I am too, believe me." She knew that the spirit would enjoy this place as well, even if he wasn't responding to her at the moment.

The actual line that led out of the building took less than twenty minutes to pass through. As soon as they entered, Yuugi was immediately surprised to see so many glass display cases, showing numerous mummies from different eras of the Egyptian times. Shining golden plaques attached to the front of the glass boxes revealed the names of the ancient pharaohs and so forth.

_Are you seeing this, Yami? _Yuugi thought, purple eyes widened in awe. She walked through the area on her own, oblivious to the concerned glances that both Jounouchi and Anzu were throwing her way. _I've never actually been in the museum in a long time. My grandpa would always talk about it, but he never really took us. _

_**Aibou**__._

Yuugi blinked, smiling slightly. She didn't expect him to respond anytime soon, but for some odd reason she found herself comforted by the sound of his voice.

_**Does anything seem… odd, about this place?**_

_No, not really. _Yuugi blinked and glanced around towards the other glass cases, and immediately walked over to one in particular. A large crowd formed around the pedestal holding up the display. She needed to stand on her tiptoes in order to even catch the smallest glimpse of the bandaged corpse.

_I can't see, but I'm guessing this is a very well known pharaoh. Would you happen to know any of these names?_

There was a slight pause, and for a moment Yuugi wondered if their connection somehow broke off.

_**Strangely enough, Aibou… I feel as if I truly should know some of these… mummies. Though I cannot recall any information regarding them, despite how familiar these advertisements are. **_

He sounded more monotonous and troubled than usual, but Yuugi wasn't going to question him about it now.

_Well, maybe once we get closer it'll be easier to tell. _

_**Possibly. Just, be careful while you are here with your… interesting, friends, Aibou. I do not trust these strangers. **_

Yuugi sighed fondly. _Thanks for the concern, but it's fine. These "strangers" are just customers that want to see everything as much as we do. _

_**Is that collective? I have no interest in this place.**_

Yuugi shrugged and walked to a different display case, this time distracted by the interesting bronze sculpture encased inside. It resembled a hawk of sorts, with the body of a human man and the blaring sun behind it, covered in cracks of age and intricate patterns that set it apart from everything else.

_I think I actually know this one. _Yuugi tilted her head to the side, glancing down at the plaque. _I was right. It's Ra, the sun god. _

_**Impressive. **_The spirit sounded highly pleased with his precious light's extensive knowledge. He still didn't understand how she could pay attention in her droning, incredibly boring classes, but since she did, she always surprised him with new tidbits of information.

_I'm surprised that you don't remember any of these. I mean, the Millennium Puzzle is an Egyptian artifact. Do you truly not remember any of these symbols or gods?_

_**I do recognize them. I cannot pinpoint the information directly. **_

Yuugi frowned. _I guess that makes sense._

"Hey, Yuug'!" Jounouchi called, shouldering past a few people before he made it by the small girl's side. Yuugi blinked and smiled up at him. "Did you find anything cool? I'm still trying to find the good ones. Anzu's _way _too excited about this place for her own good."

"I think it's interesting," Yuugi commented. "And it's a nice break from what we normally do."

"Eh, true," Jounouchi agreed, dipping his head and folding his arms across his chest. To him, having Yuugi around was like having a younger sister. She was very intelligent, he could tell just by observing the way she watched and admired… well, _things_. She was an observational person, but her naivety and all-around inexperienced nature made Jounouchi extremely protective of her. In the school hallways alone he found himself casting frigid glares in the directions of her past bullies, and now that he (a former bully himself) befriended her, she rarely found any trouble anymore on the campus.

But being beside her right now at least made him slightly more comfortable than before. Anzu was just as protective as him, if not _worse_, and having the both of them together with Yuugi led to unnecessary tension. Anzu, while she believed she, Honda and Jounouchi were now close friends (of course, with Yuugi included in the mix) was still wary of the blonde and his interactions with the youngest and, believably, the most innocent and vulnerable of their group.

"Jou?" Yuugi blinked.

"Eh? Oh, sorry, Yuug'. Just thinking about some things." Jounouchi grinned sheepishly and scratched the back of his head. "So, what's your favorite thing so far?"

"Um…" Yuugi paused. "Well, I just started actually looking around. I haven't seen anything that's really caught my eye yet—"

"Pardon, but is that a Millennium artifact?"

The intruding voice surprised both Jounouchi and Yuugi, causing them to turn their heads. Yuugi nearly gasped in surprise as she and the spirit's Mind Link vibrated with intense heat, scorching the nape of her neck. She grasped the puzzle, knowing that her touch would calm the spirit, but she wasn't going to listen to her paranoid companion at the moment.

"Um, yeah, it is," Yuugi muttered, and lifted her gaze to meet that of the stranger. He was rather tall and dressed in unusual silk robes, his skin rather dark and smooth, and the color of chocolate. A golden item that resembled the style of her own puzzle was around his neck, though it looked more like an unusual key of sorts than anything else.

He was strangely intimidating despite his calm disposition, and Yuugi could see Jounouchi's shoulders go rather rigid just at the sight of the mysterious stranger.

"I apologize if I am intruding on a private moment," the stranger continued, his voice just as smooth and slick as his appearance. There was something about him that contradicted how Yuugi felt around him. He was both intriguing as a person, but the way he talked and how his expressionless eyes shifted… it was uneasy.

_**Get away from him now, Yuugi. **_

_Wha—Yami? What's wrong?_

_**Just listen to me! **_He never raised his voice to her.

"You're not interrupting anythin'," Jounouchi told the stranger, his brow furrowing in suspicion. "But, eh, who are you?"

"Forgive me," the mysterious man murmured. "I was being rude. My name is Shadi. I am a… historian, you can say." Funny. He didn't look like one. He appeared more like he was sapped out of one of these stone tablets and dropped into the current time era on _accident_.

Yuugi's Mind Link suddenly went extremely cold, and dozens of warning signals popped through her head like a stream of wildfire. Why was the Spirit of the Puzzle so upset right now?

_**Aibou, get away from that man! Now! **_

She swallowed, glancing around her towards the growing crowd of people. Ignoring this Shadi character altogether, she moved past Jounouchi and shuffled into the crowd. She tried her best not to look like she was fleeing from someone; a spirit's paranoia for her safety wasn't worth consulting from the security guards.

At least, not right now.

"Wait!" Shadi pushed past Jounouchi, causing the blonde to fall to the ground. Shocked, Jounouchi pulled up and growled warningly.

"Hey! Get back here! Stay and fight you coward!" He blinked as he realized what the strange man was chasing. "And stay from her!" He charged after the fleeing figure, shoving other customers out of the way and almost ramming into some of the display cases.

Yuugi picked up into a sprint, dashing up one of the staircases and turning a corner. She glanced between four large golden elevators, and her brain clicked with an idea. She pressed the appropriate buttons and immediately jumped into one of them, and pressed the final button that allowed for an emergency lock.

She needed to stay safe and alone for the moment.

Purple eyes boiling with frustration, Yuugi grabbed the puzzle and lifted it higher in order to stare into the middle of the Millennium Item, hoping that she could somehow get to the spirit's mind without upsetting him.

_**Is this a secure location?**_

_For now. Now, can you please tell me what's going on? _

_**Please, do not be frustrated with me, my Light. I'm trying to keep you safe from that… sewer rat. He is a threatening person that you should avoid at all costs. No exceptions. Do you understand what I'm saying?**_

_No. No, I don't._

Yuugi crossed her arms in a stubborn fashion. She waited until Yami responded, but right now she was more angry about the fact that he always popped out of nowhere in her subconscious to warn her about certain things, but he never really told her _why_.

She blinked, her back suddenly pressing against the wall as a current of air and energy encircled the middle of the elevator. In a matter of seconds, she stared right into the alluring, impossibly beautiful features of the very man that was imprisoned inside of the Millennium Puzzle. He was still a spirit, as his form was slightly faded, through his clothes remained the same from when she saw him last in the depths of the puzzle: a simple white shirt, faded jeans and sneakers, the default outfit of a mortal in her world.

The look of overprotectiveness and rage in his deep crimson eyes sent Yuugi's skin rippling with goose bumps.

"Yami—"

"Do you not realize the extent that I'm willing to go for your safety? I am doing all of this, warning you about these shortcomings, for _your protection_!" His exclamation echoed and bounced off of the walls in a powerful sweep. It nearly knocked Yuugi off-balance, and now all that she felt towards this dangerous vessel was fear.

Yami's teeth were gnashing together and his red eyes were blazing and practically _glowing _with bottled anger and rage. His fists were clenching and the very fabric of his shirt was starting to rise from the gathering energy in the small, cramped elevator. His triple-colored hair began to shift and Yuugi knew that he was holding far too much frustration and energy for his own health.

"Yami…" Yuugi whispered, confusion and disappointment dwelling in the depths of her eyes.

Yami blinked and shook his head, and in several seconds he resumed to his normal, spectral presence. He glanced at her with an apologetic expression, though he was still angry with her for some reason. She could tell just from reading his pursed lips and furrowed brow.

"Why are you so angry with me? I never denied that you tried to protect me." She dipped her head, her former happiness and bright personality traits that once intrigued Yami so much had suddenly faded in less than a minute.

Had his reaction to her disobeying him been so dramatic and otherworldly that she would change like this? She seemed so… odd. Strange, even, after his outburst. He admitted to himself that his reaction was unnecessary, but he hadn't expected her to care so much already.

"I know," Yami murmured, regret stinging his very core like a hot knife. "I… I'm sorry for reacting like I did. But that man, that _Shadi _character, possesses a very dangerous Millennium Item that can sever our connection forever."

His grim words echoed in Yuugi's mind _tenfold_. "What?" She blinked and shook her head. "He has that much power? Why didn't you mention him before?"

"I only noticed his spiritual essence once you started ascending the steps to this museum. I was not entirely sure if he was going to be a nuisance, but as soon as he made contact with you I knew that I had to get you away from him."

Yuugi's brow furrowed. "Why would he want to make contact with me at all?"

Yami's features darkened considerably. "I don't know, Aibou."

The girl frowned at this and folded her arms across her chest. What more was there for her counterpart to say? He had gone to such great lengths just to make sure that she wasn't anywhere near this strange man dubbed Shadi. And now, she wasn't entirely positive that Yami was the safest entity around. She knew he wanted to protect her; she could definitely sense the genuine emotions trailing through their shared link, and she herself trusted him greatly. They shared a palpable bond and it seemed to grow stronger through each passing day, but at the moment…

Yuugi was conflicted, and she had no idea how to fix her situation. And the more she thought about this, the more she realized that Jounouchi and Anzu were probably worried sick about her, and the security guards were most likely occupied with that strange character that chased her up the stairs. She was sure that he lost her trail as soon as she locked the elevator, but she knew that as soon as she left the containment of this area, she would be vulnerable again.

"You won't be," Yami whispered, catching her off-guard. Was he… reading her thoughts? Most likely, yes. She needed to stop asking herself stupid questions. "I will always keep you safe, Aibou." His gaze softened. "Please, believe me. I will never let this _vile _cretin anywhere near you, especially with his Millennium Item."

Yuugi tilted her head to the side, watching her companion carefully. "Maybe you should… go back inside the puzzle. I'll leave the museum with my friends and we can go from there." She pondered this for a moment, but found that she was more concerned for the spirit than she expected. "And you shouldn't worry. I know that I'm very weak compared to a lot of the people I've had to face in life, especially in school, but I'm smarter than I look." She paused, searching Yami's expression in hopes that he was listening to her, and he was. He looked… perplexed, but understanding. "I can take care of myself in a way that you probably don't understand."

Yami blinked, his fists slowly clenching. "Aibou—"

"And if you trust me, you would realize that." She needed to be more assertive with him if she was going to get through. It was a given, she noticed, in their rather complex relationship.

Suddenly, the elevator shook, and Yami screamed as his spirit was ultimately sucked inside of the puzzle. Bracing herself against the wall, Yuugi knew that he hadn't done it on purpose. The look of pure shock and terror across the spirit's features surprised even her and now she knew that her fate was in someone else's hands.

_Yami? Yami! Answer me! Are you alright? What happened—_

The doors opened, and Shadi stood there. His Millennium Item floated in midair, glowing with a strange golden hue. Swallowing, Yuugi glared at the stranger and kept herself at a decent distance as he continued to approach her.

"Do not fret. I mean no harm—"

"What did you to do to the spirit?" she growled, her fists clenching in frustration.

Shadi crossed his arms. "If you are speaking of the ancient spectral that is possessing your puzzle, then I must make amends with an apology. The presence of my Millennium Item caused the spirit using your body as a_ host _to retreat into hiding. Quite a cowardly move, if you would like my opinion on the matter."

Yuugi bristled with anger. "What do you want from me?" She gasped as he entered the elevator and, without even turning towards the buttons or pressing them, closed the doors to the machine and locked them.

"Nothing drastic. Just remain calm, and still. I am not a threat to you or your friends. They are waiting outside, concerned for your safety… though I would not blame them for your subtle departure. I simply wanted to talk to you." Shadi's gaze significantly narrowed. "I'm assuming that the spirit possessing you told you to flee? Of course, it would mean that I would encounter him."

"What are you…?" Yuugi shook her head. "Look, I don't want to know. Just stay away from Yami." She felt the connection between her and the spirit weaken with each word, and now, more than ever before, she knew that she was afraid for him. What was causing the once powerful spectral to become so weak?

She looked up, and found herself pinned against the wall by an invisible force. Shadi's hand was lifted, clearly suspending her with some telekinetic ability. Yuugi had no idea how he was doing this, but she was more frustrated with herself than any other moment of danger. She had just lectured Yami on how she could defend herself, and this was in no way proving her point.

"You are making this much harder than it needs to be," the other man whispered calmly. A slight breeze swept his robes around his slippers, and Yuugi only continued to struggle in this alternative grasp. She wanted to escape and tell the spirit that she was not going to abandon him, but she hoped that she would remain strong if this man somehow took advantage of her mind.

"Stay away—"

He ignored her.

Shadi lifted the strange golden device from his neck, and pushed it towards her forehead. Her pupils dilating in fear and shock, she started to hyperventilate until her mind warped into an entirely different dimension, and her body slumped in silence. Along with her, Shadi's mind disappeared as well, though it transferred to a much more vulnerable location, now completely unlocked and open, ready for him to inspect the pieces.

What he did not expect was the instant echo of anger and bloodthirst (directly purely towards him) that echoed through the tunnel that transported his mind. It held so much pain, so much concern for the woman that protected the source, and Shadi would have felt guilt if he was capable. But he was going inside the Millennium Puzzle for a specific, reason, even when this spirit was now extremely determined to kill him.

He was in for an interesting visit.

_**YYYYYYYUUUUUUGGGGIIIIIIII!**_


	8. Chapter Eight

**OBSIDIAN**

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><p><em>~ Chapter Eight ~<em>

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><p>Shadi didn't know what to expect when he entered the Millennium Puzzle. At first glance, he pictured a wide desert plane, maybe blooming some palm trees, with an overcast of a periwinkle sky and intricately shaped clouds. An image that would be too perfect for the real world, but a place where an ancient, disturbed spirit would slumber.<p>

He turned is attention to the first room. Each wall and floor was made entirely of stone, chipped in corners and appearing just as realistic as a rock in the mortal world. Floating doors and staircases were both topside and the opposite of such, with an endless tunnel of blackness spiraling out within the puzzle. Shadi knew that this resembled the fractured mind of whoever possessed the puzzle, who wandered the halls each night, contemplating the mysteries and strange doorways.

He spent hours traversing the very scope of the maze, climbing up dozens of staircases and opening hundreds of doors. Each one opened to either a blank room, a room with riddle-engraved blocks on one side of the wall, or a room with only a slight clue… strangely enough, he stumbled into rooms where he discovered small toys that children would usually play with. He wondered if they were scattered ornaments from a different source; after a while, he suspected that this realm was not only a figment of the spirit's mind, but a combination of the host's.

It was very unusual to see so much confusion and depth in one Millennium Item. Shadi suspected that the spirit was not only disturbed from being contained for so long, but he seemed to yearn for his host. Shadi could practically feel the radiating hatred and malice towards him; simply from rendering the girl—_Yuugi_, he believed her name was—unconscious with his golden key. She was safe in the mortal world, but for this amount of time, her mind belonged to him.

He was a very curious explorer and at this opportune time he knew he would be able to find some pieces to this mystery and put them together. Well, he hoped to, without the spirit wailing weapons on him. So far, he had not seen the spirit, but at times he would glimpse strange shadows lurking around the corners, stalking him and trailing his every movement.

So he had some influence on the Shadow Realm.

_A powerful spirit… someone of high standards when he was alive, I am sure. _

Shadi blinked, disembodied echoes tunneling through the chasms as he opened another door. He hoped he would discover the spirit soon; he had many questions and many important matters to discuss with the admittedly dangerous spectral.

"Are you lost?"

He swished around, hoping he would come face-to-face with the spirit, but found his jaw tighten in surprise at the sight before him. The girl stood there… Yuugi Mutou, though he knew it wasn't her actual form. She was dressed in a long white dress, as if she had just woken up from a long night's sleep, and even now she looked so childish, but Shadi could understand why those luminous purple eyes would affect anyone. It had no means to charm him, but with an individual like a claustrophobic spirit, he assumed it was a huge reason as to why he was so fascinated with this young mortal girl.

"I suppose I am," Shadi replied, eyeing the girl curiously. She smiled at him, but it was a hollow expression. It was not real, and Shadi wondered if the spirit conjured her up himself. It was then that he noticed the tendrils of shadows dripping from her long spiked hair.

She was an artificial copy. There were probably many of them.

"I will show you where to go, then," she whispered, smiling. "A lot of these rooms lead to absolutely nowhere. Believe me, I've looked." She shrugged. "But maybe my master will be kind enough to let you look somewhere else, so that he won't be bothered."

"He is already bothered that I am here." Shadi's brow furrowed in suspicion. "And I believe that he sent you."

"Normally he would have, but he doesn't know how to deal with trespassers. He is angry though… I can feel it." She closed her palms over her heart, looking transfixed on a different subject altogether. "He keeps us safe here, out of harm and away from the frightening mortal world."

"Where is Yuugi?" Shadi demanded. If he could find the girl's subconscious spirit in this puzzle, then he would find the answers he wanted. He could make her tell him where the spectral was hidden.

She would become a necessary stepping-stone for this process.

"I can't tell you!" she insisted, shaking her head. "You must ask someone else to help you. Or leave. That option works too."

"I cannot leave. Not until I have the answers I want."

"Then I'm sorry to disappoint you."

Shadi bristled, and noticed that the girl had already disintegrated into shadows. Standing behind her, surrounded by servants constructed of dark shapes and serpents, was the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle. As Shadi suspected, he was still not accustomed to his memories, just from observing on how he dressed. Clad in a white T-shirt and modern jeans, he was still as intimidating as Shadi imagined, but with a less surprising turn.

He had not recovered a single bit of his memories.

"_Why_… are you here?" Yami breathed, his teeth gnashing in irritation and rage. His eyes practically boiled with discontentment, as if his very bed was violated by a stranger. "Get out of my puzzle at once!"

"Not until I receive the answers I have come for." Shadi folded his hands behind his back. "Be calm, for I have no intention of harming you or the contents of the Millennium Puzzle. And before you ask, no, your host is perfectly fine and sheltered in the human world."

Yami's eyes flashed dangerously red, tendrils of shadows swirling up around him, threatening to strike Shadi within the next few seconds. The intruder remained unmoving, but he would not deny the tiniest shred of fear injected into his heart.

"_You_… _you _will _never _speak of my Yuugi! NEVER! What you have done to her is unforgivable and is only justifiable through what I am going to do to you! Do you not understand the extent of what you have done? My host… my precious Yuugi, is unconscious in the real world, _vulnerable_! I cannot protect her with an intruder in my _puzzle_!"

Shadi closed his eyes. It was clear that the spirit had lost his mind sometime during his imprisonment, but there was so much anguish, so much protective rage hidden behind those words…

"You do not love your lust. You only seek to corrupt her innocence and keep her locked within your arms for an eternity. Do you understand the terrible consequences that this can grant? She will only be a slave to your lust."

Never in Shadi's mind had he expected the spirit to look so personally insulted. Yami reared back, appearing as if he struck him in the chest, his pupils dilated in disbelief and his jaw clenching and unclenching in bottled anger.

"How _dare _you—"

"How dare I? I am trying to get you to have some sense, Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle. I am trying to help you protect _your _Yuugi. I would never render a mortal girl vulnerable without her defenses. No harm will come to her, unless you grant it."

Yami was close to salivating. "You think you can trespass into my puzzle, make my Yuugi unconscious on your _whim_, and order me around like I am some… peasant?" He spat each word with enough venom to fill the fangs of a dozen vipers.

Shadi released an aggravated sigh. There was nothing he could think of that would truly convince the spirit to listen to him—there was so much he needed to say, so much that he needed to cover before he made the spirit realize who he truly was. It was extremely important, even for the life of the girl that happened to get her poor existence tangled up in this mess… he felt sorry for her.

"You are not aware of your past," Shadi whispered.

"Of course I am not," Yami seethed, folding his arms across his chest. Beside him, his shadow slaves shrunk back in fear of their own master. Shadi noticed this with a risen eyebrow—why were they becoming so timid? Did they have no control over Yami, or was he truly becoming that powerful? "I lost my memories long ago, hundreds of years after my supposed imprisonment within this puzzle. There is nothing I can do to control it or change it."

Shadi lifted his head. "Actually, there is."

Seconds ticked by, and his words sunk into Yami's mind with surprising acceptance. He glanced over the intruder with narrowed orbs, his teeth grinding in disbelief. "You… you're lying to me, intruder."

"I am doing anything but. I have come here to shed light on your past and help you recover your memories. In the process, perhaps you will become… _human _enough to truly claim your host as a lover."

Yami growled. "Don't mention Yuugi again. Or I will not hesitate to gouge your organs out and let my shadows devour them."

"Forgive me, that was uncharted territory." Shadi quickly bowed his head in apology. "What I am meaning to mention is that you must listen to what I have to say, and understand that the consequences that could erupt will gravely affect the future of this world, and the balance of your relationship with your host."

The spirit's intimidating stare had not waivered, but there was a sliver of understanding that swam in those crimson depths.

"… If you truly know anything about my past, then I have every right to know. Every detail, every piece of information you could possibly know… you must tell me."

Shadi dipped his head. "Of course. That is why I am here."

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><p>Yuugi's eyes cracked open, and she was face-to-face with the overly concerned expression of her grandfather. Sugoroku jumped back in surprise, and sighed in utmost relief at the fact that this precious granddaughter had finally awakened. Yuugi struggled to adjust to her conscious state of mind, but she noticed her friends spread off into the different corners of the familiar white-walled room.<p>

She was in a hospital, stretched across a medical examiner bed, and her mind was throbbing with a splitting headache. Her puzzle was safely placed aside on the countertop beside her, and she knew that the puzzle would radiate in response to her waking up. Where was Shadi? Where was the spirit's voice? Normally he would have spoken to her when she would wake, but there was something significantly odd about this picture.

"Thank goodness you are awake, Yuugi," Anzu whispered, her hands clasped firmly together. "We were so worried."

"No duh, Anzu," Jounouchi quipped, but Yuugi noticed the rigid tension on his shoulders and how he addressed her with a small scowl. She could tell he wasn't angry with her; he had been scared, and truly didn't know how to deal with those emotions until he knew she was safe and secure.

Honda's arms were crossed as well, though his expression was mildly distant. Yuugi observed the trail of goose bumps rippling along his hands, and his lips were pursed and tight with concern. Those normally determined brown eyes were still burning at an entirely new level of ferocity—it was a look that she was not accustomed to noticing.

"Can you tell us what happened back in the museum, Yuug'?" Jounouchi asked, breaking the quiet atmosphere with that one simple question. Yuugi felt her blood boil in response, remembering the strange man that followed her into the elevator and willingly entered her mind without her consent. She was unconscious during the process, but now that she was awake and around her friends, she felt a new sense of fragility and gentleness.

They were all so concerned for her, but those feelings were not going to wash by like they had before. So many odd occurrences had happened over the last several weeks, and all seemed to focus back dramatically on her puzzle and the spirit that secretly lied within.

_Yami? _

She frowned at his lack of response.

A strange chill reverberated through her, and for once she actually wanted to hold the puzzle close to her chest in front of the others, to let them know how important the item was to her. Her grandfather still didn't know about the spirit, and she knew he would have a heart attack if he figured out the dangers she had been facing, with the attack at Burger World and the man chasing her in the museum…

"Yuugi," Sugoroku whispered, coming over to his granddaughter and pressing his hand against her forehead. Tears brimmed the corners of his eyes, and in that instant she felt extremely guilty and sorry for him. Maybe she should have told him about her situation, about the tasks she had to face, and the overprotective spirit that inhabited both her mind and the Millennium Puzzle. "Thank goodness you are alright. The police are still investigating the scene, in hopes of capturing that man."

Her brow furrowed. She tried to remember the stranger's face. His skin gleamed a healthy bronze, and he wore… a robe, she believed, with a hat that resembled a cloth snake around his supposedly bald head. His eyes were sharp, intelligent, and yet held an essence of mystery that she could not decipher in that small amount of time. Before she could even call for help he had pressed the golden key to her forehead and locked her into unconsciousness.

"I can't remember his name," she whispered.

"That's fine. The police told us earlier that there are a lot of witnesses to the chase in the museum," Anzu added, her cheeks flushed. "They'll find that guy and arrest him like the criminal he is. We're just glad that you're okay, Yuugi… you should be too."

And she was, for the most part.

_Yami, please answer me. Where have you gone?_

She waited for an answer.

Nothing.

Her fingers curled over the sheets in dismay. Was this some sort of cruel joke? He gave her speeches about how much he wanted to protect her and cherish her and simply see the best for her, but there was an undeniable truth to her theory that he could have left while she was unconscious. Was he even powerful enough to leave the Millennium Puzzle on his own whim yet?

_No. _She shook her head. No, he would never do that to her. She had learned to trust him and accept him as a valuable part of her life, and even if he was gone, she was sure that she needed to find out what happened to him. And soon.

"We will be heading home in several hours, Yuugi," Sugoroku whispered, snapping her out of her train of thought. She smiled at him, hoping that would reassure him, but he only looked more concerned. "Don't stress yourself. I'll cook you your favorite dinner tonight. How does that sound?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Do you even know my favorite dinner, Grandpa—"

"Of course, of course," Sugoroku rambled, cutting her off. She grinned secretly; she knew he was just trying to make her feel better. He didn't even know how to churn butter or cook rice, let alone make a full course _meal _for her.

"You don't need to do that, Grandpa. I'm fine."

"Nonsense!" He placed his hands on his hefty hips. "I will be sure that you are given the greatest meal of your life! Created from scratch by my skilled cooking hands. Just you wait and see, Yuugi. Your taste buds will just dance with joy."

Hearing those words relieved her. It was nice to see that her grandfather was still just as carefree as always, despite having one of the greatest scares of his life. She wondered just how crazy the museum was after she was found unconscious in the elevator. Were security guards will blockading the entrance? It was a minor case, she concluded; they wouldn't waste too much time on her.

She furrowed her brow in annoyance.

_Can't waste their cable footage. _She rolled her eyes.

"When you're feelin' betta, we should all go to Burger World! Ya know, refresh our veins with grease and beef!"

"Jou, that's the worst food route you could take! Plus, she's still recovering from the shock of the whole thing. Cut her some slack." Honda was probably still trying to jump on this new vegetable-only wheel that some adorable girls at school convinced him to take on… but hearing him talk like that to Jounouchi was an entirely different experience.

She was close with all three of them, but something about them made her feel so distant. Was she really that locked away with the spirit all the time? Was she too busy talking to a person that had been dead for thousands of years to talk to her living friends?

Or was it the opposite?

Guilt weighed her heart. Maybe that was why Yami wasn't talking to her. Maybe he was annoyed that she snapped at him in the museum, when he tried to warn her about the man that invaded her mind and her puzzle. It was definitely a possibility.

But she hadn't expected the connection to drift like this.

"Just call me when you're ready to get out of here, Yuugi. I'll push 'em all down if I have to!" Sugoroku laughed at his own humor and placed her phone on the countertop, right next to the Millennium Puzzle.

Yuugi bid her friends goodbye, each one of them hesitant to leave, but she insisted. She needed to be left alone. If she was going to be bedridden, she needed to strike up a conversation with the spirit and let him know how she felt.

"There is no need for that."

She nearly jumped out of her skin at the sudden intrusion into the real world. Standing there, at the very foot of her bed, was the translucent form of the spectral. He appeared the same as before, but his beautiful crimson orbs were wallowed with exhaustion and weariness. He looked so tired—like he had stayed up for several weeks pouring over books, or trying to figure out a ridiculous riddle in one sitting.

There was something… _off_, about Yami.

Yuugi's fists clenched, the fabric of the sheets curling into her palms. "Why weren't you answering me?"

Yami looked apologetic, but something else sparked in his eyes that calmed her nerves. He seemed expectant, and very different. "I apologize for not contacting you as soon as possible, Aibou. I was discussing important matters with someone."

Her eyes bulged. "You… you talked to him? To the _intruder_?"

"I had to," he replied.

Disbelief shrouded her features. She leaned back against the bed, flummoxed. "I…" She blinked, shaking her head to snap out of her stupor. Yami actually _stopped _and _listened _to the intruder? Was he under some sort of _spell_? "I—why? Why did you have to listen to him? What did he say?"

Yami glanced towards the door, his brow furrowing in concentration. "The information I have gathered is quite startling, but you must listen to everything that I have to say, Aibou, for I am not going to repeat everything. For all I know, a mortal can walk in here and see my form. At this point, I believe my powers of deception are weakening."

She frowned in concern. "Yami—"

"Please, Aibou." He motioned over to her, gradually sitting on her bed. To her surprise, she felt the impact, and the bed slightly shook. How did he do that? He wasn't even a physical form as of now. "You must listen." He searched her eyes, wondering if she was going to accept him now that he head learned so much.

The teenager slowly nodded. "I am. I promise."

He sighed in relief. "Good." He exhaled, and then proceeded to speak. "This man, his name was Shadi. He used a powerful Millennium Item known as the Millennium Key to open a door into your and my minds, and seek the clues he needed to be sure that I was what I was." He closed his eyes for a moment, pondering. "I approached him, offended that he wandered into my puzzle and rendered you unconscious. I threatened to allow the shadows to devour him, but he insisted that he had news to tell me; information that I would never forget. Not anymore."

Yuugi gestured for him to continue, respectfully silent.

He cracked a small smile. That one expression made him adore her even more. "He told me that my mortal mind, body and soul originated in Egypt, as I had suspected. He was surprised that I had so much control over the Shadow Realm, but at this point I knew that I needed to know more. He explained that my puzzle is the way it is because of my fractured memories. The doors lead to empty spaces… spaces that were once filled with dreams, realities; moments that I once cherished, but now are gone forever."

Yuugi tucked a singular strand of hair behind her ear. She was wondering where he was going to go with this—he seemed more and more tired each time he recalled his conversation with Shadi.

"He revealed that I was once a powerful pharaoh."

He stared at her, waiting for her reaction. With her eyes bugging wide, she blinked rapidly and shook her head.

"You're… you were a _king_? Of Egypt?"

"A pharaoh, Aibou. A much more prestigious title." He chuckled in amusement, and wished more than anything that he could have touched her hair and let her know that he was there for her, no matter what Shadi told him. "I was a pharaoh of Egypt… though he told me that in order to gain my full body back and escape the fate of being locked in the puzzle, I must retrieve them myself."

Yuugi's jaw clenched. "You mean—"

"I must travel back in time, in search of my memories, and change the course of history." His brow furrowed, his shoulders noticeably taut and rigid. "Shadi told me that I cannot be of true form in your world, Aibou, no matter how much I want it. I simply do not have enough power to do so."

"But if you change history…" She blinked. "Then there's a chance you won't be there when my grandfather finds you in the exhibition. I might never solve your puzzle—I might never meet you!"

"Aibou, please listen. Let me finish," he coaxed her gently. "I decided that I will do this, but I cannot do it alone." He tenderly took her hands into his, gazing deep into her eyes with a sort of intensity that she was not yet familiar with. "I want you to journey into Egypt, thousands of years in the past, to help me recover my memories and my name. I know that I can only trust you with that. I will not abandon you in this world—this is a journey I must take, but your involvement in my life as a spirit is absolutely necessary."

He dipped his head once more, unsure if he wanted to read her reaction just yet. He was not going to mention what Shadi said about her and his complex fascination with her. He was not going to confess how he felt tonight. Granted, he knew that she was a smart, maturing woman, and she had a faint idea of what he wanted from her. But if what Shadi said was true…

"Please join me on this journey, Yuugi," he whispered, his breath but a whisper over her lips. "Join me."

She tried to calm the racing of her heart, but it was so difficult to. She couldn't believe what he was asking of her—if she had known Shadi had told him all of these things, she would have interjected. She would have made sure that the spirit was with her in her own world, but now she knew the truth.

His primary motivation was to now find his memories. He wanted to go back in time—_back in time_—to venture into _Egypt_. It would be such a dangerous journey, but she knew that it was necessary. Her grandfather and her friends would try to find her, and the police would scramble searching for her in her absence, but what was most important to her now? What decision was the most important to make at this very moment, on this day, speaking to a spectral that she encountered by chance only weeks ago?

"I…" she hesitated, but her eyes shone with understanding. "It'll be dangerous, but I want you to be happy. And maybe… maybe this will be good for me too." She smiled slightly at the pure relief and delight that clouded the spirit's luminous eyes, which were normally so dark and cold, and yet obsessive over her. He seemed tired and different, but maybe this was a good change; it was a reasonable first step into a journey they had to take together.

"I will surely see this through and through. I will follow Shadi's instructions and we will most definitely reach my goals. Thank you, Aibou, for doing this. You will not regret your decision." He kissed her forehead, his lips soft and holding an emotion that she hadn't recognized from him before. He was never this gentle with her; never this kind.

Something changed within him. And, for some odd reason, she liked it.

A flutter in her chest distracted her from her own words. She blushed and shook her head, hoping the spirit wouldn't notice, but he did, and he was grinning ear-to-ear like a devilish feline. "I… why wouldn't I?" She slightly huffed.

The spirit smirked. Stubborn girl.

"I will help you prepare, Aibou. I will find a way to make sure that you will be safe. I will always guard you, and always look after you, no matter what the circumstances may bring. Please understand that."

She smiled warmly at his thoughtful declaration. Maybe there was a true reasoning behind this. Maybe he was still hiding information from her, but she knew that his request was genuine and he was looking for both of their best interests.

And more than anything, she would keep her promise to him.

They would travel back in time (she still wasn't used to the idea) and they would recover his lost memories, whether she had an input on the true situation or not.

"We'll find them, Yami. I promise."

And she would keep that promise until the task was done.

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><p><strong>Hey guys! I know you probably weren't expecting this to be the last chapter to <strong>_**Obsidian**_**, so… surprise? Heh. Well, there's a specific reason why I did this. There's going to be a sequel out soon, involving supernatural stuff, fantasy stuff, ANCESTORS (:D), some god actions, of course, Yami and Fem!Yuugi and… guess what?**

**PHARAOH ATEM! Can you say triangle? ;) Mobiumshipping/Puzzleshipping galore in the upcoming sequel. **

**I will be working on the story that will win the poll on my profile.**

**VOTE NOW IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY! I DEMAND IT! In the meantime I will be working on the outline to the sequel and smashing my ideas together to make sure everything makes sense. And yes, the sequel will be **_**longer**_**, by a very good amount. Just you wait. **

**LOVE YOU GUYS AND THANK YOU FOR READING THIS STORY! **

**The sequel, **_**Onyx**_**, will be published soon, and I want to leave the decision up to you guys. Should I publish this one next, or the winning story on my profile page? **

**ANOTHER REMINDER! PLEASE VOTE ON THE POLL IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY!**

**Thank you again, please drop a review and good night! **

**- Sulfur Dusk**


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